The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-05
He GOT The SMOKES
Letter From an Ex-Grafter, Follow
ing a Circus, to Mime
apolis Man.
Up Against Hard Proposition, but
Maintaing a Cheerful
@..a Front.

An example of the cheerfulness in dire
distress was disclosed in the mail of a
certain business man on Washington ave-
nue. yesterday, and has been preserved
as testimony to the truth of that old say
ing: You can't keep a squirrel on the
ground" f. -
The author of the letter is young
man of 80 years. who thru unfortunate in
f1uences became what is known in the
business as a CRATER and in that ca
pacity travelled for; several years with one
of the large crcuses touring the country.
The recipient of the letter was at one
time press agent with the same circus.
When last the press agent heard from
the "grafter' that young man had mar
ried Chicago girl and had settled down
in the determination to live straight.
But he was living straight under diff
| ficulties. One of these was that he did
not dare show himself about a railroad
| station for fear that the detectives who
| haunt these. places would recognize him
and either pinch" him for past misdeeds
Or "sha':e him down. as the price of his
liberty. Under these conditions he found
it impossible even to meet his wife at
| the railroad trains and labored under
| other disadvantages. .....-
Probably the difficulties of Giving
Estraight'' were too much for him, as it
appears from the letter that the CRATER
went back to his old ways and met the
fate awaiting everybody who "bucks the
laws game"
The letter is dated at southern states
prison and says: ..
"Friend Bert-Well, old man, I suppose
you will be surprised to hear of me being
behind stone walls. 7 am doing the lead
ing stunt in the great success. In Con
vict's Stripes
my contract is until Aug 7, 1904, but
| 1oo11 f1,1 fuyn be- oh ny1}
Nov. i. I have asked for my time but
they tell me I am too good a man. But
T am getting tired.
| "You know this is a continuous show
but we are making no railroad jumps
I joined this troupe last February. I wa:
we'll recommended by my wife on ac'
count Of me sending her back to 'Indiany.
She could not stand city life among my
good, dear friends.
| "Well Bert I see is with the
Big Show. Some of the boys of the Billy
Sells show were in to see me last spring
also of, the Fish wild west see they arr
all in. Well, so am I all in Z
"Well, old man, I see by your notice
, in the Bill Board that only live ones neet
CALL Bert I am here and I am broke
, The boys in Peru and Chicago have col
I lected some coin to try and get me out
and hate to ask them for any coin t
spend in here. I need coin In here TO
some things and I want to know if an
> good for 50 or So
"You know I will make good. And
4 Bert not that want to be too strong
But if have box of cheap cigars the
will be as welcome as sunshine after
storm. I see - had a SmaShuI
e Well, that is one thing that I am SAT
: fron-a railroad wreck. Bert who is wit
n the Forepaugh-Sells show I know?
g think they will show here soon."
l. And that's about all there is to tn
letter, except that Bert has sent $40 In
n stead of 50 and that the cigars are fin
r Key West instead Of plain don1estics