The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-01-18
SUNDAY REPUBLIC.

WRITTEN o SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
AT tramp camps In tho United States a
f~avcrite topic for discussion II the where
abouts Of Barnard Carr.
He was never a great celebrity in the
sense that he had become noted for a
mastery in some branch Of Underworld
skill; but he was considered by the per
flesh" and the Powers That Rule. q remark
ably clever 'all-round" man.
Hohoes liked him because. as they put
1t. he WAS not stuck on himself"
1t WAS his custom when in uck-and for
ten years he seemed to be always in luck
TO visit them at their hang-outs, and no.
boes have always admired a crook who was
sufficiently independent not to fear loss OF
caste on being seen in their company.
one of the present scribes met Carr. while
he was at the top of his reputation. at a
tramp camp in Pennsylvania.
1t was at night, and a circle OF men and
boys were lounging about a great fire. with
the dome of the stars for a tent and Sc
lected railway ties for campchairs and cots.
On a tie apart, a tie of state, sat a we'll
dressed stranger. who was obviously the
guest of the evening,
His stylish Garb. white hands and polite
manner were evidence enough that he was
no ordinary traveller of the road"
Newcomers at the camp were not left
long IN ignorance of the mans identity.
The scribe had hardly taken a seat on
one Of the ties when a lad at his side
nudged him and said in an awestruck
whisper: That's Carr, the great per-
fesh'nul."
A heather could not have directed atten-
ton to one of his deities with more rever-
snce. The man seemed to be oblivious OF
the ragard in which he was held by the
camp His eyes were fixed on the fire,
and he spoke only occasionally.
He had little to say about himself, and
answered questions in monosyllables. When
he got up to leave he dropped a ten-dollar
bill on the tie, saying: WET 'er up on me,
boys" and disappeared up the track.
The tramps commented on his career and
personality after he had gone.
Flow that bloke holds out!' ono ex-
claimed. IF he's done a day in the Pen.
he's done fifteen years. He's got the nerve;
you can't see a sign of weakenin' In him.
Be hanged II I can explain it."
He'll 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.
II tell you, the bloke don't live that can
take stretchers IN the Pen the way Carr
has. an not bust. 'Tain't in human nature.
Course he's holdin' out longer'n some; he's
n eeIp bs AZ B 5. g SIit sSof tb ee Saaa after SSe ! q sa WRile'
A crooks built like other folks, an can't
live on nerve forever"
'"They say t he's sailed down a big pile
for old age. all the same" a Westerner re-
HdTheu. rEiSCo idChl Oiu uc ~ otAiti
day that Carr was one o. the richest crooks
in the country"
''Rich In your eye.' sneered an old man
from Chicago. It'll bet Carr don't salt down
anythin' from one years end to the other.
Crooks amt bankers: what the devils the
matter with you? They blow their dough as
fast as they get it. and right. too. Some law
yer or front-office stiff 'ud cop 1t out II
they saved it IN.
IN bet Carr amt got over ten thousand
-.A rort 49, hasl cnand oil ~ that vnrnhlv
the next time he's pinched. / tell you it's
the fly cops an lawyers that get the crooks
coin. I amt heard of a chief In a big city
that didn't retire. as they call it. with his
pockets full O. dough. Them's the blokes
that does the savin'. 'Tain't the crook"
What about Detroit Fraxy an his blocks
o. houses?" asked a kid.
Detroit Fraxy-you make me tired! He'll
lose 'em. He'll get in a hole some day an
have to cough 'em UP, them houses. Look
at Carr. He had one o the best-payin' gam
blin' joints in Frisco four years ago; he had
to deed 1t over to his lawyer fer chewin' the
rag fer i'm in that murder scrape.
ITS all right bout crooks maxim dough.
but It's holdin' OF II that counts God never
vet made a crook that has stuck to the
graft long, takin' chances an stretchers,
an come out rich"
The hang-out broke up sool after this
statement. and the men took trains in differ
ent directions.
DUrlUS III luloWih6 wv Soi ehS CS'oS
saw Carr twice and heard OF him once. On
both occasions when he saw Carr the man
was apparently still in luck.
He was dressed we'll. had money ito burn"
was courted by his companions. and had no
complaint to make beyond the statement
that he felt that he was getting old.
HAD a year to do in Alabama not long
ago" he explained at the second meeting,
.and the air was 50 damp that my bones
got wet.
heat in my cell. but II rather uses me up
otherwise. A fellow gets cranky, you know.
after he's been shut up a good deal. As q
va I didn't give a damn where they put me.
but the guards get all my money now for
8hinGs = ! think ] got TO have
10 e -r+