Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-10
DOWN AND out CLASS IN CITY
wAYFARERS NUMEROUS ABOUT
THE MISSIONS.
Many Are Looked Upon as of the
Dangerous Element-several
Arrests Made.

Homeless wayfarers, men and boys. are
fairly overrunning Washington, accord
ing to statements today by managers of
missions and Supt. Tyson Of the munich
pal lodging house. While some Of the
strangers are said to be apparently honest
workingmen seeking employment. others
are believed to be desperate and danger
Gus members of the hobo and 'yegg-
men, fraternities.
A number of residents have complained
that when they answered the ringing OF
their doorbells they were confronted by
suspicous-appearng men who demanded
money or food, and numerous pedestrians
have been held up and panhandled on
the principal thoroughfares for 1.-The price
of hot BOWL cold drink or pad
In the "held-up' class have been sem
ators and representatives in Congress.
The police of the sixth precinct are said
to have arrested several men near the
Peace monument. or on the Bowery, who
were begging money from national legls-
latoTS and others.
AS an evidence Of the congestion of
hard-luck humanity here at this time
Supt. Tyson said today that his premises
have been overrun with applicants for
food and lodging for several days, al.
though the men who are taken IN ana
cared for are compelled to saw and spit
a portion of cord wood.
For four nights in succession" SAID
Mr. Tyson, II have been compelled to
turn men away. and that had never nap
pened before in the years that have
been in charge Of the institution Our
house is full up every night"
He also said many of the itinerants are
foreigners. and a great number Of them
are coming from the jamestown EXPOSE
ton, which was closed recently.
Conditions Elsewhere.
The manager of the dormitory or lndg-
ing rooms of the Central Union Mission
reports similar conditions, and one Of the
attaches said he had never before seen so
many homeless and hard-up strangers In
Washington at one time.
Capt Theodore Valiant Of the Home
ward Bound Mission, l19 Pennsylvania
avenue, has had many applicants for
lodgings in excess Of the capacity Of his
dormitory. He has also had several ex-
citing experiences with callers who were
inclined to be ugly" Saturday night
front door by loud banging and found
two gruff hoboes demanding entrance. He
informed the men that his beds were all
occupied. but they still insisted upon be-
ing admitted, in the meantime threaten
ing to knock down the door If it was not
opened
About that time Policeman Newkirk
appeared on the scene and sent the ma
RAIDERS to the sixth precinct station under
a charge of yagrancy.
It was stated that at one of the Jogging
places number of tramps established
still and were proceeding to manufac-
ture brand of incendiary liquor when
the police were summoned. The amateur
.noonshiners were put to flight and their
outfit was captured. 1t was said to con-
81 Sf old iron not several tin veS-
sells and the materials from which the
fighting compound was made-hard CT
der, alcohol and extract of Jamaica gin
ger. 1t was remarked today by one OF
the mission officers that boys of tender
years are being added to the great army
Of tramps.
The Pathetic Side.
The passing Of the hoboes here is not
without its pathetic features. The other
day a man who declared he was a thirty
third degree member of the ''Down-and-
Out Club entered the audience room Of
one of the city missions, and seating him
self before the little portable organ, with
it's discordant voice. began to play in
masterful manner several of the gems OF
Mozart, Chopin and other great compoS-
ers. The atmosphere was suddenly filled
with the grandest sort of melody. and one
of the attaches of the mission remarked
that he didn't know there was so much
music in the little meiodeon.
The vagrant player finally admitted that
he was a graduate with honors from the
British Conservatory of Music. and that
Strong drink had been the cause of his
downfall.
There have been number of down-and-
out men who formerly held positions OF
trust and responsibility and stood wel1
up in society who have wandered into the
Peoples Mission. 90 Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. recently and requested Rev. Will c.
McMichael, the evangelist, to have pray
ers said for them that they might again
get back into the better life.