The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-21
THE TRAMP NUISANCE
A LARGE CROP OF "wEARY WILL
LIES, ALREADY IN EVIDENCE.
esting Study-The One Thing He
Avoids Is Work.


to judge from the numerous complaints
that are heard all sides. is making his
appearance very early this year, and the
seasons crop of Weary willies" prom
Uses to be very prolific. In fact, the city
tramps and professional beggars form
recognized class of the community. The
tramp has grown from the straggler to
the class. 1t has only been a few years ago
when one was accustomed to hear of these
stragglers, who wandered through villages
and towns, alarming women and children
by their wild appearance and imperious
demands for food and shelter, but as time
passed the country became infested with
them. They were no longer simply trav-
cling beggars, but thieves and robbers,
without regard for persons or property.
They appropriated to their own use what
ever they could lay hands on, and If
necessary resorted to violence, sometimes
amounting to murder, rather than forego
the plumber.
AS the law was almost hopeless against
them. farmers and others who were the
victims of outrage on the part of these
peregrinating scoundrels were frequently
obliged to arm themselves In their own
defense and drive the wretches from the
community. A cottage with the male men,
bers of the family at work I'm some dis
tant field was the spot usually selected
by the tramp as the scene of his depreda-
tons. But time has metamorphosed the
tramp. He is no longer the dangerous
straggler to be feared, but the intolerable
nuisance to be abated. Many charitably
disposed people cater to his wants, be-
lieving that he is some honest workman
out of employment. There Is no greater
folly than to say the tramp is a laborer
or artisan out of employment and look
ing for work. He is no such person.
During the present era of prosperity when
every factory is running day and night
and the want columns of the newspapers
daily offer employment to thousands, there
are few men. willing to work. out of en-
ployment. There are some, of course,
out of employment, and they may even,
and doubtless do, on account of adverse
circumstances, ask for food and shelter,
and they may be mistaken for tramps; but
they are not the true, genuine tramp any
more than they are graduates from the
State prison. Nor need the two classes
ever be COMPOUNDED. One Is honest and
earnest. The laborer Is accustomed to
employment, and misses it even more than
the money he earns by 1t; shows that he
is used to the respect of his fellowmen,
and his manner and bearing, though they
may be modest and deferential, are those
Of one who respects himself. The tramp
has an individuality of his own. His ap-
pearance is generally that of a large,
brawny-fsted fellow, tough and strong as
horse. His demeanor. which fifteen or
twenty years ago was bold and impudent,
has now become cringing and subservient
to the last degree They may be easily
classes There G
fessional tramp who makes his living by
travelling from town to town. These are
the more numerous. Some of them have
short routes, reappearing frequently at
the same spot. Others include all the
large cities in their circuit, wandering
from Chicago to Indianapolis and Cincin-
natl and even working their way as far
as New York, Washington and other
Eastern cities. Others assume the guise
of peddlers, umbrella members, etc. BY
this means they more readily gain admit
lance to houses. Their stock is trade is
usually worth little or nothing, sometimes
consisting of only q few cakes of soap,
matches or pencils. These are known to
have a regular organization, and they COM
municate with each other by certain signs.
A mark on the fence Ineligible only to
themselves, will serve to indicate a. house
where they can be certain of securing
good meal. Many of them are also en-
dowed with a talent for fiction that might
earn them an honest living in another
branch of trade. After a great calamity,
like a big railroad wreck or fire In which
there has been an unusual loss Of life,
there is always an unusual number of sur
vivors who want to get to some town
where their relatives are residing. The
old soldier gag of the tramp who lost leg
or arm perhaps years after the war
is very common. or another class is the
fellow who makes the rounds Of the news
paper offices, representing himself as the
unfortunate printer out of employment.
He may have been a printer once, but 1t is
safe to say that no amount Of money
would tempt him to resume work with the
stick and rule. Probably the class with
which Indianapolitans is most familiar is
the MISREPRESENTATION sort,
and this class is growing In this city.
They are always very careful to avoid the
eye of the policeman, but instances are
known where the same tramp beggar has
accosted the same man five times In the
same evening. always apologizing for his
failure to recognize his former patron.
The tramp nuisance will be abated only
when the charitably disposed citizen finds
out that the succor of the tramp is a mis-
taken charity.