Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-08-25
Go from House to House in The
City Begging.
81 CAN'T GET EMPLOYMENT
This t'1 SIS 10 What They Say to the Person who
Comes to the Door. Tramrs Hero ARC
Becoming Boider Ever Day and
Are Constantly Arriving.

There are more men in Newport
News today who, by their action, leau
TO the belief that they are thieves.
than there have been before in long
time and the number Of small robber-
aes from private residences in various
parts Of the city seem to indicate that
some OF them at least are not honest
There are trarnpS and. beggers galore
and they are to be found on all the
streets Of the City. In fact. there is
a perfect army/of these tepraved men
in Newport News and there appear to
be new. arrivals every day
They go from house to house every
Where in the corporate limits and ask
for food and money. This game IS
worked more in the northern sections
or the city than in any other part.
In What is known as the shipyard
dlstflct and the residence sections,
along West avenue and on the side
streets between that avenue and
Washington avenue, they are always
to be found roaming about and all
night long can be found on the dark
ened streets.
In these sections, where the police
cannot always be on the closest watch.
these tramps have become very bold,
in many cases demanding food and
money, instead of asking for it, When
ever they find a house in which there
Is not man they become very dar-
ing, often insisting that their, demands
be complied with.
The persons who are afflicted with
these men can do very little to inlprove
the situation. There are no officers on
hand and. by the time. the authorities
their departure for more agreeable
parts.
There is another class Of rouge here
which is more alarming than the
tramp kind. The tramps very seldom
resort to violence, but there are I'M
who, from time to time. reap good
harVeSts at the expense Of some one
who has befrierdeu them.
This latter class applies to the well
dressed young man VINO goes p from
house to house begging and saying the
same thing that every other rascal
says, Il cannot get employment II
is really wonderful the number of men
there are in the city who are unable
to secure work, in view OF the fact
that work is plentiful and easily got
toH.a
1T is a we'll known fact that the
Shipyard is anxious at this time to get
all the laborers that can be secured
and there is work to be had all over
the Peninsula. If these men wanted
work they could get it without much
trouble and the majority Of them know
it very We'll
These men are Well dressed. we'll fed
and appear to have been living on
Easy street-and doubtless they have.
The majority of them certainly
have not been suffering from a lack
OF food and. for that matter. they
seem to have had the best of every
thing.
1t is believed. and the theory is I'M
doubtedqy backed by circumstantial
evidence, that these men are nothing
more or less than burglars, who go
from house ito house looking for an
easy mark and no more in need than
many Of the residents they visit and
solicit aid from.
There are Il great many complaints
made by the people OF the northern
portion Of the city Of these tramps
and rascals and the police will keep
their eyes on all characters that are
considered in the least suspicious