The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-23
He Has Lived by His Wits Three
Continents Since He Was Seven
teen Years Old.
SCIENCE OF BEATING TRAINS
HOW HE TRAVELLED ONE THOUSAND
MILES IN A COAL BOX.
Superstition of a COlOred Porter Prob
ably saved His Life-An Inter-
esting Autobiography.

ODe Oh the nOSL unique nODOeS Ill tue
world was in Indianapolis for two days
last week and managed to loaf about town
during his visit without coming into
barrassing contact with the police. Eddie
Sims, as the visitor to the Hoosier capital
calls himself, is not a tramp of the ordi-
nary sort. He considers himself tourist,
rather than a hobo. but at the same time
doesn't hesitate to acknowledge that he
is the king of the Weary Willies,' claim
ing this proud title with a chuckle of
amusement.
Sims was in this city for a short stop
over while en- route to his home in Bloom
ington, nl.-the place of his birth, which
he visits occasionally when his travels
| chance to bring him in the vicinity of the
town. He came into Indianapolis by linn
tied express from Cincinnati. He prefers
to travel on the fastest and finest of trains,
he says mo slow freights for Eddie!' he
said to the newspaper man, who happened
to make his acquaintance last Tuesday aft
ernoon. II travel on the passenger trains
altogether and only on the limited ones. too.
1 find that the faster the train runs the
safer it is for the fellow who beats his way.
There isn't so much to be feared from the
inspectors who are forever prying about
Sims is a worldwide traveller and proud
of it. He displayed, with considerable
pride. short sketch of his life that was
published in a San Francisco newspaper,
together with portrait of himself. And
that amt the only one he went on to say,
with an important air. "A reporter in Bir-
mingham. England. once wrote story
about me- He said was wonder. Oh
| ;,,f
! interviewed me, can tell YOU.
THE KING OF TRAMPS.
He is an interesting talker-this young
| fellow whose restlessness will not al
! low him to remain in any one place for
more than a few days at a time-and after
listening for a while to him to his stories
| of travel and adventure one is willing to
concede that the title of king of Tramps'
belongs to him by right. He is not an ILL
looking chap; his face is not that of the
ordinary vagrant, and he takes pride in
keeping himself as clean possible. He is
/ only twenty-three years old and has been
touring the world for the last five years,
led on by an overpowerins desire to roam
| and to see new places.
| Sims SAYS that he had good common
school education in Bloomington. ILL.,, and
| his conversation bears out this statement.
! From early boyhood he was imbued with a
| passion for seeing the world and when only
| seventeen years old decided TO crafty il.
He had no money with which to make
| start Ibis home folks being poor" as he
| says, and so ne made up his mind to travel
| by his wits. After successfully accomplish
ing few short trips about his own State
| and Indiana-trips that didn't cost him
| penny-ne fel. he was qualified to undertake
| long Journeys and i'm 1898 struck out for
| Newport News, Va, for the purpose of wit
Messing the launching of the battleship
| Illinois.
That was the beginning of an extraordi-
nary career. The boy from the midwest
| saw the launch, and after earning a few
dollars as laborer on the docks at New
| port News, proceeded a tour of the
| Eastern States. going to Washington, Phil
adelphia, Baltimore. New York, Boston,
| Buffalo, Chicago, and then back to his
/ home. He worked whenever it was neces-
sary to do so, always M naging to find some
kind of employment wherever he went He
says that any fellow who is willing to work
can always get something to do, and that,
when 1t comes to a pinch, he can work
with the best of 'em.
TRAVELLED THE WORLD OVER.
'I couldn't stay at nome after that first
whrl of travel and excitement said the
young tourist" in telling the story, but
found that 1 must keep a-going or else
feel miserable all the time. i didn't start
out again until L had saved up a little
money, and then, with few dollars to back
me in time of need, 1 travelled all over the
United States, through the British islands,
| France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy,
Australia, China, Japan and the Philippines,
coming from the Philippines to San Fran
| cisco last winter, since which time I've
been on a trip all over the South.
1.-The American trains easy, but those
in Europe are much easier when it comes to
beat ting your way 1 have been caught
| only once and that was on the Chicago e.
Alton. The next time / have occasion to
take trip on that road I'm going to fool
the fellow that caught me-"
The young globe-trotter allows himself
81 thousand miles for his meals while
travelling. He what little money he
needs for buying food and additions to his
wardrobe by doing chores around restaur-
ants or for private families. Al sea, If he
finds it impossible to stow away, he has
to work his passage and then, of course
his meals are furnished along with the rest
of the crew. He has reduced his railroad
riding to exact science He keeps him.
self posted as to the schedule time of all
trains, recognizes the symptoms of slowing
down, and glancing at the watch which he
| always carries, knows when he has arrived
at his destination. AS soon he descends
from car at the end of trip he proceeds
TO groom himself. taking forth his toilet
articles from sort of portmanteau which
he always has with him. His fondness for
his clothes-brush is due to the fact that 1t
is not only necessary in keeping himself
clean. but is also a tool of strategy. If de-
tected in the act Of getting on or of car he
whips ii out and starts to brush vigorously
from his clothes the dust that he has rubbed
up against. at the same time laughing and
making some such remark Me stealing
ride? oh, get out. That's one on you"
And his discoverer. a rule. ina AGNES that
ne has been made the victim OF practical
Joke, and drops the subject.
At one time Sims determined to make a
trip on . much-advertised flyer in the