The Washington times., 1901-07-22
RUNAWAY BOY As A GYPSY
A Youthful Kalamazoo Wanderer
at the House Of Detention.
Led n Tramp's Life Because of Al
legged Neglect by n Parert-His
Picturesque Experiences With n
Rowing BaBd-Anxious to Go Home

Picturesque Experiences With n
Rowing BnBd-Anxious to Go Home
Unable to bear the slings and arrows of
| outrageous fortune, and flying to evils
| That he knew not of. after an adventur-
| GUS career of six months, Harry Kimball,
| sixteen-year- boy, who claims Kala-
| mazoo. Mich, as his home now desires
| to return there and take up his former
accustomed burdens. After 'dead-head-
ing" as human freight halfway across
the continent, begging at necessary inter-
walls the wherewithal to sustain life. and
having a subsequent experience of about
two months with gypsies. Kimball is now
an inmate of the House of Detention in
this city. He is charged with no crime.
other than being adrift in the world with
out support, and is an applicant for trans
portation to his native cilE.
The boy has been with gypsy camp for
some little time. acting as cook, plate
washer, general utility man. and tender
of horses. While serving in the latter
capacity yesterday afternoon. an event
happened which, in the opinion of the
youth, made it impossible for him longer
to continue in any relation of intimacy
with his whilom masters.
The gypsies are encamped at present
on the Conduit Road, near Rock Spring
Club. While tending the live stock OF
the camp, ione blind horse. the equine fell
down an embankment The boy had been
endeavpring to ward off the danger,
which was imminent, by "shooing the
animal to one side. But the horse, ow-
ing to the imperfection of his senses,
misunderstood the signal, and tobog-
canned down the incline.
The boy was unable to get the horse
up the ennbankment. He was afraid to
go back to the camp, for fear of pun
ishment that he knew would await him.
Daniel ii. Mudd, horseshoer of Queen
Alley between l. and NJ Streets and
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Streets north
west who had been out driving. passed
at an opportune moment. The lad solic-
tied his assistance to get the horse on
level ground After due effort, the thing
was found impossible.
The boy explained the situation to Mr..
Nudd. who gave him a quarter and ad-
vised him to go home. The amount be-
ing rather insufficient for an extensive
journey to the Northwest. the boy sup
piemented his former account with
sta aternent of the interesting epoch OF his
life. which commenced from his departure
in his wagon and drove him to the Sew
enth precinct station, on Q Street, be-
tween Thirty-frst and Thirty-second
Streets Georgetown, and the boy was
subsequently taken from there to the
House of Detention.
The boys story, as related freely to
the police and reporters, is interesting. he
states that he is the son OF George A.
Kimban, of Kalamazoo. and does net
give his stern parent an enviable reputa-
tion. He SAYS that his father has neg
lected his children, of whom there are
four or five and that nearly all of them
had been provided for by the efforts OF
the local poorhouse superintendent at
Kalamazoo The father, he says, a. the
death of his mother collected insurance
on her life, but failed to provide for the
children. of whom he is the eldest. n
sister has secured a position IN Chicago
and other brothers have been sent to
other places to find work.
The superintendent of the poorhouse
there offered him an opportunity to secure
a place on a farm, but in preference he
obtained a job as bel:boy in hotel in
Kalamazoo. According to the boys nar-
rative, one day he fell down the elevator
shaft in the hotel and was badly injured,
and was laid UP for several weeks. @he
hotel ran, he says, wished to charge him
a collar a day while he was sick in the
rouse, and this he gives as the prime
reason of his removal to other scenes.
The boy claims to have left Kalamazoo
by freight or March 10 last. His first OBJ
jective point was Detroit, Mich. Later
during his travels he made stops at Gin
cinnati Cleveland, Chicago, and ether
points His mode of travel. as in the be-
ginning. was suited to his purse. and box
cars provided sumptuNs bedroom when
occasion demanded Several times, he
says. he was kicked off of trains much to
his physical anguish. When hunger seized
upon him, and this happened not infre-
quently, as he is an extremely healthy
looking lad, he begged bite to eat from
any house which his youthful judgment
led him to believe was the abode of per-
sons charitably inclined. From Chicago
the youthful traveller took passage With
out leave on the Baltimore and Ohio road
about two months ago, and fast freight
finally landed him in the Monumental
City.
quaintance of a questionable character.
who gave his name as Charles Dean. and
OF whom the lad has nothing compliment
tary to say. Dean. the boy learned. vas
in the habit of travelling about With gyp-
sizes. and it was this person who intro
duced him to the life OF slavery among
those lovers OF liberty. Both of them
walked from Baltimore to Washington,
finding q gypsy encampment, with which
Dean was acquainted, near Cabin John
Bridge
Harry was duly installed as an auxii-
iary to the camp furniture, of which he
took entire charge under the arg,u;-,yed
direction of a difficult taskmaster The
camp consisted of three families, of which
one Warren Coleman was the Romany
chieftain. Harry cooked the meals,
washed the kitchen and dining-room uten-
sils, made the fires, and tended the |
horses.
With the gypsies the boy wen: to Rich !
mond Va, to Baltimore again, and finally |
returned to Washington when the party |
went into camp near the Rock Spring |
Club. The legitimate means of Iiveli- |
hood practiced by the gypsies was horse |
trading and telling fortunes. The hey |
states that he was furnished With due |
amount of eating material, and his pres |
snt plump appearance goes far to attest |
the fact. While he never had been beat |
en- threats were plentiful, and seedlings |
and sour looks we-e normal state OF
affairs.
The boy seems very anxious to return
home, and very impressively states his |
Intention never more to roam, IT he can |
get lack to his starting place lie seems
very familiar with police authorities at I
home. knowing the chief Of police Iurr
Greenfield, and every officer in the city |
ly name. Despite this rather curious in
the boy says that he has
never been prisoner nor wanted on any
,haree.