Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-07-13
|IR[ HOBO CONVENTION.
National Meeting Of the Tourists
Union To Be Held at
Britt, Ia
something About the Unique Organ
ization and the Man Who
Founded it.

Head Pipe Noe Talks About the
Union, Its Rnles and
Members.
Special to Times Republican.
Britt, July 13-The "hobos' of the
United States will hold their second
hobo convention here on Aug. 90.
The masterful genius Of Charles F.
Noe. head pipe Of the Tourists Union.
the organization OF the gentlemen Of
the road, is once more at work, and the
eccentric youth says that the gather
ing this year will eclipse the convention
held at Danville. ILL.,, last year, and will
cause even more comment than that
much talked-of affair. A hobo con-
vention is unique. The originator is
more so.
Charles F. Noe, who lives with his
l'father at Sycamore. a small burg near
| Chicago, does not remember the time
when he did not take to the CRIME and
grease Of box car like duck to the
water. Noe has yet TO see "a years OF
lsags. Since he was boy at Danvilie,
ILL.,. a stolen ride on the railroad had
more enjoyment for his mind than
"trip by palace car or Pullman sleeper.
Noe. with few chosen spirits, spent
more time on the road than he did at
school. In company with several Of his
comrades who row hold high Office in
the Tourists Union, he attracted the
attention OF his townspsople by bum
ming" to Canton, o.. during the presi-
Dental campaign of 1896. The story Of
the lordly way the youthful tramps
marched on the famous grass at Nc
1 Kinley's residence and shook the
4 hand OF the republican nominee, is still
related at Danville.
1t was shortly after this trip that the
!. young man conceived the idea Of the
Tourists Union. now a flourishing or
Z. ganization. Why not the hobos?' he
I asked. and the result was the Danvllle
branch Of the Tourists Union. From
4 the parent union the order rapidly
i spread, and whenever hobo came
4 into town or was met on the road, he
4 was taken into the union and given a
card ornamentsd by coupling-pin and
4 link, the insignia of the union.
Il
4 be passed. The applicant was forced
j to answer successfully numerous cues
\ tions. Among them We're:
did you ever panhandle dookie 2"
will you petition the congressman
in your district for free soup houses IN
4 every railroad center?
DO you prefer box car to Pull
a man sleeper?.
4tt.r>t t,sa ofc CT a
. tramps when they are being run out
4 shal?,.
All genuine tourists easily an
d swered the questions and as a result
the membership of the union grew
II Now Head Pipe Noe estimates his fol-
lowers by the thousands. He says that
q comradeship is close and that q fellow
tourist. always helps member of the
organization along the road.
Last year at Danville the union held
/ a big convention that attracted the at
originator; Noe was the man who car
/. ried out the plans that Noe made; Noe
Twas the whole thing. The program in
+ streets of Danville to their camp on a
N
All visitors were free from police in
!. Interference by reason of large badges
! bearing the cabalist.c picture Of 8
!, hobo. the picture that is found on the
stationery of the organization. The
!, convention did not accomplish much
last year. Noe explains this by stating
that the delegates were too partial tc
i the big barrel of Dutch suds" fur
!, n.shed by sympathetic brewer. He
says that the program Of this years
| gathering will be of general interes,
:. and that all who desire to learn the
llatest ways of hitting sde-dool
seepers should make it a point to be il
attendance
The officers of the union are:
President-"Onion" Cotton, Danville
e III.
Head Pipe-charles F. Noe, syca.
: more, III.
$ Chief Route Picker-Giman Fera
/. Chicago.
The esteemed head pipe desisnates
the membership of his order as shoe.
: makers, rairoaders. cigarmakers
molders, printers, tailors, actors ant
society tramps. He says that newspa.
:. per men are also admitted without de.
muir. Noe classes himself with the so.
ciety tramps, whatever they are.
The town Of Britt is making exten.
sive preparations for the hobo gather.
ing. The police DEPARTMENT will NEE
! the delegates whe they enter the cit,
and escort them to lodgings prepared
in the city building, and several barn.
have been secured to shelter the over
dow All the hobos travel in tradition
al style. The Chicago delegation, which
numbers about fifty, will make the triI
in special box car. chartered on TIL,
Chicago. Milwaukee & ST. Paul road.
Colored Alasons Meet,
: Ottumwa, July 13.-The thirteenth
!, annual grand lodge of the Colored A
: F. and A. NJ. which has been in ses
sion here for the past three days, term
!. mated last evening with public in
stallation of the newly elected grant
: lodge officers, followed by ball an,
banquet. The grand lodge meeting i,
I 1901 will be held in Abba, begnninl
the second Monday in July. The fol
) | lowing grand lodge officers were a1aof