The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-05-26
KID SLOAN.
A Noted Tramp and Victim Of Drugs,
Partially Cured, Dying In Charlotte
Dr.. Stages Good Offices.
Charlotte Observer, May 10.

Charlotte observer, May lU.
Kid Sloan is dying in st. Peters
Hospital. To few people this state
ment will import nothing, but a ma
jority of the residents know Kid, by
sight atleast. Tiny, stoop- -shouldered,
emaciated, he was the quaintest figure
in the place aud the most original.
He looked like no other man, thought
like no other man, and he gazed out
upon the world as Il droll spectator
and drew conclusions that would have
made very human and interesting
book.
Kid played only small, nnimpor-
tant part in life, and yet, despite his
lack Of force, he strongly impressed
his individuality upon every man he
mot. With his intutive knowledge
Of human nature, his shrewd percep-
ton of the characters and motives of
men and his terse aphorisms which
were meaty with intelligence and
philosophy, Kid Sloan might have
been a man Of prominence or renown,
if he had been cradled to bigger
social sphere
But he Is dying close to the soil
without being particularly dirty.
He is passing rs Il worn out printer
of the old school-a nervous atom
that fed nerves overmuch His lite
stands for Il fragrant misuse of op-
portnnities, and yet it WAS q whim-
sicnl and brilliant piece Of mlrth that
will live forever in kindly memory
David Wilson Sloan was born in
Stanley county about 30 years ago.
At the age Of 8 years he was placed
in the Oxford orphan asylum. He
chafed under the rules and regula
tons Of the institution, and ran away,
walking to the home of his aunt, at
Concord, q distance Of about 200
miles. The dlmlnutive little fellow
was then known rs Pat Mcguire. a
few days after his return home he
dropped into the office of the Con
cord Sun, then being run by Mr..
Wade H. Harris. Pal or Kid" IA
he was afterward known, wanted
something to do Mr.. Harris
"learnod him the boxes" and he quick
ly developed into Il swift compositor
Later on he got above working fol
81 a week and part of that in store
orders, and cut out for Washington
where he got a job in the government
printing Office He made from $3(
to $40 Il week, bnt here he became
tangled with VINE, women and opium
and then began his wanderings over
the face of the earth.
Work at his trade was to be haC
any and everywhere for the asking
Sometimes he could name his owl
price for his services. The abund
ance Of money at times led Kid int
excesses and, according to his OWL
statement, he tasted of all the sweet
the world afforded. He drank whis
key aud everything else that h
came across. Curiosity led him t
indulge in almost every stimnlan
known, including opium smoking
the use of cocaine and kindred drugs
He travelled thousands of miles O
freight trains, carrying with him
| hypOdermic needle and bottle c
cocaine, which he used incessantl1
Finally it became problem wit
him to find a sonnd place upon whic
to use his needle. During all thi
time, however, he ne ,ct quit work
ing altogether. He would do fe
hours Of labor at each town which /
visited and buy moro cocain
When he ran ont of the drug al
conId get 10 money to buy mo
be resorted to ingcnions scheme
Ho would go TO Il grocer, for instan'
and ask for one potato, securir
which he would visit every storef
town with the same request, ar
finally sell his accumulated stock (,
money with which TO buy the mucl
needed cocaine.
1t was while in perhaps as deplo
) able II physical condition az is goT
erally described rs being Lazarus
lot that Sloan was taken to q hospitt
hp q nhyaini ,vI,,, l,uirol q, to,t Il