The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-01-20

W liz Il toeto ~
vas never a great celebrity in the sense
that he had become noted for a mastery
in some one branch of Underworld skill
but he was considered by the "perfesh'
and the Powers That Rule a remarkably
clever "all-round" man. Hoboes liked
him because, as they put it, he was not
stuck on himself 1t was his custom
when in luck-and for ten years ne
seemed to be always in luck-to visit
them at their hang-outs, and hoooes
have always admired a crook who was
sufficiently Independent not to fear loss
of caste on being seen in their com
pany.
One of the present scribes met Carr
while he was at the top of his reputation
at a tramp camp in Pennsylvania. IL
was at night, and a circle of men ana
bows were 1ounging about a great ffe,
with the dome of the stars for a tent
and selected railway ties for camp chairs
and cots. On a tie apart, a tie OF state,
sat a weli-dressed stranger, who was OBJ
viously the guest Of the evening. HIS
stylish garb, white hands and pollte
manner were evidence enough that ne
was no ordinary traveller Of the 'roac.
Newcomers at the camp were not lett
long in Ignorance of the mans identity.
j lie SCIlDc q hoiNiJ S0
one of the ties when a lad at his side
nudced him and said in an awe-struck
whispar: chats Carr, the great per-
~fesh'nul." A heather could not have dl-
rocted attention to one Of his deities with
more reverence. The man seemed to be
ohliyious of the regard in which ne was
held by the camp. His eyes were hXed
on the fire. and he spoke only OCCASION
ally. He had little to say about NM
self, ana answered questions IN mono
svllables. When he got up to leave he
Gropped a ten-dollar bill on the tie, say
ing. Wet 'er up on me-, boys and DIS
appeared UP the track.
The tramps commented on his career
and personality after he had gone.
GLOW that bloke holds OUT one eX-
claimed. eff he's done a day IN the
Pen. he's lone fifteen years. He's sol
the nerve; you can't see a sign OF weak
cnin' in him. Behangcd if | can eN-
Plain it."
Hell go to pieces all Of a sudden
some day another declared. You see,
f he don't. There's men like that; they
don't crack nor bend, they bust. wen
see him here on the turf yet. | tell you
the bloke don't live that can take
stretchers in the Pen the way Carr mas
an not bust. faint in human nature
Course he's holdin' out longern some
he's nervy an S got good health, out
gamble coin he'll be hittin the roac
after a while. A crooks built like other
folks. an can't live on nerve forever
They say t he's salted down q big
pile for old age, all the same" a West
erner remarked. Frisco Blackie told
me the other day that Carr was one OF
tho richest crooks in the cOuntry.'
Rich in your eye" sneered an old mar
from Chicago. I'll bet Carr don't sal
down anythin' from one years end t.
the other. Crooks amt bankers; VIVA
the devils the matter with you? The.
blow their dough as fast as they get it
and right. too. Some lawyer or front
office stiff 'ud cop it out if they saved
it up. I'll bet Carr amt got over ter
thousand put past, an he'll spend all o
that prob'ly the next time he's pinched
l tell you it's the fly cops an lawyers
that get the crooks coin. l amt heard
of a chief in a big city that didn't re
tire, as they call it, with his pocket
full O. dough. Them's the blokes tha
does the savin'. 'Tain't the crook
What about Detroit Fraxy an hi
blocks O. houses?" asked a kid.
Detroit Fraxy-you make me tired
He'll lose 'em. He'll get in a hole som
day an have to cough 'em up then
houses. Look at Carr. He had one @
the best payin' gamblin' joints in 'Frisc'
four years ago; he had to deed it over t
his lawyer fer chewin' the rag fer in
in that murder scrape. It's all RICH
bout crooks maxim dough, but it
holdin of it that counts. God neve
yet made a crook that has stuck to tn
--c 49, -.
an come out rich
The hang-out broke up soon after thi
statement, and the men took trains j
different directions.
During the following five years tn
scribe saw Carr twice and heard of hiI
once. On both occasions when he sa7
Carr the man was apparently still i
luck. He was dressed we'll, had none
"to burn was courted by his compan
ions, and had no complaint to make be
You'd the statement that he felt that b
was getting old.
long ago. he exclaimed at the secon
meeting, land the Stir was S
damp that my bones got we
| don't mind when they give m
steam heat in my cell, but it rather use
me up otherwise. A fellow gets cranky
You know, after he's been shut up a goo
deal. AS a kid didn't give a damn
where they put me, but the guards &c
all my money now for things t | thin!
L got to have. That's about the onl,
thing [ keep a bank account fort
get privileges when the pinch comes
And do you know don't feel comftabI
any more in a large room. / amt don
such a hell of a lot O. time wit
some blokes, but | been liVin' in cells of
an on for the las sixteen years, an w
got so used to 'em t | always ask 70
a small room now when l go to a hote,
J nave enough dough sometimes to pa
for a whole suite, as they call it, but
wouldn't feel right in one. Give me
chair, a WaShstand, an six feet to stretc
out IN, an old Cars happy as the res
or EN-. | tell you, pard, on the Level
the Pen does change you. I'm sur
Id been a bigger man f hadn't bee
cooped up so much. Didn't no more
begln to grow than [ got pinched. an
amt had a fightin' chance to grow since
Your nerves all right, isn't it?" til
scribe asked.