Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-13
THE TRAMP LAW.
Judge Andrews Applied the 10 Months
Sentence, Monday.
He will Not Allow Augusta 10 Be a Tramp's
Paradise.

Judge Andrews and the tramps have
always been a source OF interest To the
Augusta people. The judge does not
like tramps, and he is not afraid OF
them. which was shown in his brave
attack upon a camp of them two years
ago, when single handed he went into
force of them and put them all to
route. Since that time he has had no
opportunity to distinguish himself. but
every chance he gets he gives them a
dig. He sustained his record, Monday
morning. and as a result three of the
tribe of hobo, the man who never
washed the back Of his neck, will be
seen no more until in the showery
month of April, in the year 1900 they
will emerge from the Kennebec bastile
with faces paled by the result of a long
seclusion from the ways of the wicked
world, and far from the tiresome days
of work that was offered them occa-
sionally
The foundation of this little story of
the Three Tramps or the Mystery of
DIR. Crooker's Barn." was laid. Satur-
day night. by the police. The tramps
have been altogether too numerous in
tains 20 tons of the softest hay that
tramp ever laid his head upon. together
with SleighS and other things of value.
The insurance rate is high and ii is
not safe to have hobOes loafing around
it. 1t was raided once before. but no
tramps found. The fastenings have
been made Securt. several times, but
each time the tramps manage in some
manner to break them and to enter.
In the raid by the police, Saturday
night. three men We're arrested
When they came to trial, Monday
morning, they appeared to be very
truthful fellows, hoping probably to be
let go. They each and all admitted
that they We're ordinary tramps They
said they had done no work in the city.
though they had been here four days.
They said they had not cent of
money. and had lived by begging from
door to door. They told of their man
ner of finding the barn on the Togus
road, all having been directed there by
member of their tribe who had Sc
cured work here in Augusta, but who
had previously slept there in the barn.
They had occupied the barn each night
of their stay here.
You are just the men | have been
looking for" said His Honor, the
Judge. II believe l will try the new
tramp law on you. Ever heard OF 1t?
1t gives me the power to give you each
10 months in Jail. / might hold you
for the grand jury, charging you with
breaking and entering that barn. but l
guess / will save the trouble and make
an example of you. Ten months each
in the county jail. Take them away,
Mr. Marshal"
And they went, though some did rave
and swear curses not loud but deep,
for be it known the thought of a SEN
tence Of ten months. where they have
been accustomed to 80 days at the
longest, is not the most pleasant, even
though they were TO have some OF
Sheriff McFadden's mince pie.
That was not the end of the story,
for they were to be transferred to the
county Jail by Deputy Marshal Grover
The big deputy harnessed the two
smaller ones together, using bright
harness made of steel that fitted close
~ about their wrists. The big fellow
he led. When they reached the outside
of the City building the big tramp
made n mistake He had not sized the
deputy up properly, and he baked. lie
swore roudly and kicked at the deputy.
and said he would be cast up for ever
lasting punishment if he would go
step farther, and finally he sat down,
but there must have been some traces
Of femninity in his makeup, for he
changed his mind, and very suddenly,
too. The deputy had not the time to
bother with one worthless tramp, and
he had a pair of twisters on the mans
wrists in twinkling, and the tramp
marched on.
Augusta is going to be a place from
which the tramps want to steer clear
in the future. as there are no places va
cant for them, with the exception of
few cells in the jail.