The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-25
TIE gypsy In AMERICA
Habits and Customs of the Pietur-
esque NOmad Described.
\ Much Misunderstood and Remark
ably Interesting Pcoplc-Thcy
Came Originally From Hin6ustan.
Decrease in the Size of the Romnny
Curavan-Distrustfu of White Men

Decrease in the Size of the Romnny
Curayau-Distrustfu of White aicn
The death. the other day. in a nomsd
camp. OH the outskirts of Elizabeth. n. j..
in her 10th year. of Sadie Evans, queen
of 4 band of American gypsies of English
descent suggests a talk about much
misunderstood and remarkably interesting
people The newspapers state that the
dead woman. who had amassed large for
tune. was held in great reverence by
members in her own band and all gypsie5
throughout England and America" 1t is
further narrated that her husband died
two years ago, and that she will rest be-
side him beneath a costly monument which
has been erected above his body in Ever
green Cemetery, Elizabeth. All this may
be true. but as a matter of fact the name
Evans is not prominent one among gyp-
sizes in either this country or in England.
IL the authorities upon Romany literature
are to be believed But. to our talk. Field
ing. In one of his works. refers to the
gypsies as Egyptians. and other authors
have fallen into the same error they sup
posing that gypsy Is corruption OF the
word egyptian. but modern research has
proved this theory to be absolutely erro-
neous. In various countries they bear va
rying names and have varying origins
ascribed to them. A few modern writer's.
however. have succeeded by personal con-
tact in penetrating the reserve which has
ever surrounded these strange people. ana
have been enabled to throw an entirely
new light upon their origin, their customs,
and their lives. Notable among these are
Charles G.. Leland (Hans Breitmann) and
Paul Kester. ethnologist and dramatis':
These men agree that the gypsies are OF
Hindu origin, and this is the contention
OF the tribesmen themselves. who term
their race the Sinte, asserting that they
come originally from Sind-that is, lud or
Hindustan.
Paul Kestcr's Discoveries.
Paul Kester is unquestiorably the great
est living authority upon the American
gypsy. He made public a few years ago
some of the conclusions he reached con-
corning them. He claimed that the race
shows no signs CT extinction. ard was as
strong and numerous at that time as 1t
has ever been THE gypsles, said he,
came originally from Hindustar. Tee NIL
grafton of the race occurred during tie
thirteenth and fourteenth oentr.ies. Inc
sobriquet Egyptian. which they assumed
was. 1t IS supposed. owing to their tenn
porary sojouIn in Egypt. The name Ro-
many ethnologists derive from the Hindu
rom" a man. Armed with protecting
letters from one or more OF the Popes they
appeared in Germany, and thereafter
swarmed over Europe. | cannot say when
they first came to America. but certain 1t
is they were not long after the first white
colonisis Spain sent her Zincali to Mex
CO, while from France and England gypsy
families crossed the Atlantic in pursuance
of their roaming instincts. There are many
thousands Of them in the United States,
and they permeate all branches of society.
I know of an eminent and respected Epis-
copal clergyman in Boston who has Ro-
many blood in his veins. Once year tfe
old wandering fever comes over this good
man. and then. hey presto! the pulpit is
temporarily abandoned and he follows TIE
pattrin trail CT lounges contentediy among
his kindred in the shade OF the caravan
tent In many of our cities there are
wealthy men and women, millionaires and
so-called society people, who are Ro-
mauy-chals gypsy mem or Romany-chis
gypsy girls, and who cannot resist fol-
lowing the pattrin when summer time
comes round But, of course. the great
majority of the race live in their caravans
all the year round, telling fortunes and
trading horses for a living-goiug South
with the approach OF winter. and returning
Northward when summer is at hand
generation or two polygamy was prac-
ticed among them in isolated cases, but
.rsa.f.. Lows An n
gypsy has only one wife. and very good
husband he generally makes her. He is an
excellent father. too. In all my long ex-
periences | have never seen Romany
father beat his offspring.
Dcnth of the Queen.
"snce the death OF Matilda Stanley II,
of Dayton, Ohio few years ago. the
American gypsles have had 10 generally
recognized queen. This Matilda succeeded
her aunt of the same name. Matilda Stan
ley /. whose great funeral and the vast
horde Of gypsies that attended 1t will still
be remembered. The Irish-American and
German American gypsies have rulers of
their own There are 80 families Of Ger
man American Romanys and their queen
is Sophia Freyer. a Romany-chi OF near
ly eighty years. For many years, old john
German was MING OF lHt lIlSu-tNHitii'sih
Romany He was succeeded by his wife,
Queen Bridget, who in turn gave place to
her son BARLEY German. the present king
King John German and Queen Bridget
came to New York in the 40's. bringing
with them their wagons. Since then they
have roamed the country over and multi
piled greatly. Their chief vocation Is
horse trading. Henry Palmer, a million
aire gypsy Of san Francisco. who claimed
to have succeeded Martha Stanley III as
sovereign of all the Ronanys in America,
died in 1884, His giant form and great
wealth made him familiar parsonage In
California All the gypsy families have
two names. that Is. theIr Romany patrony
mic and its equivalent in the language OF
their adopted country. Here. as in Eng
land the principal families are the Lees,
Stanleys. Hernes, Lovels. Grays Ccopers.
Smiths. Whartons. Caulfelds BucklanGs.
and Costellos In Romany the first seven
OF these families are known respectively
as Purrums or leeks: BarmescrO. or stone
people; Caumloes. or lovemakers; Grays,
or horse people: NardOmescro. or wheel
wrights and Petulengroes, or hOrseshoerS.
II will be seen that in translating THEN
Romany names they generally attempted
TO play upcn words when they could no.
find the exact equivalents. In the same
way the gypsies have Romnny names ior
most of the big cities in England and IN
this country They are quite opposite. too.
as may be judged from the following lisi
picked up around camphres and caravans;