The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-03
Too Many Offers of Work in
 Birmingham
HOW HE GOT HIS START
Job With Barnum 6 BalIey's Circus at Age of 15-Was Last Time He Did Any Sure Enough
 Work.

 hobo was entirely extinct. That this is untrue was proven by the arrival in Bir- mingham several days ago of "ShilSey Jim," a hobo of hoboes. Shikey Jim was on his way from Florida to northern points and had planned a Hay over'' of only a few hours in Birmingham. He had not been in Birmingham for fifteen years and upon his arrival here he chang ed his plans and made up his mind to stay as the town looked like a suckers town to him, and he thought he could graft things easily. He did not find grating so easy, however, and had about made up his mind last night to shake the dust of Birmingham and continue the trip first planned.
 He was looking around for his supper last night and approached three men who were standing on the edge of the side walk with, Say, gents, how about fixln' me fer supper?" The three men shook their heads mo" and he said T amt givin' yer no hard luck spiel. aint never had no job and I ain't never gon' to want one, but I'm feelin some hun gry and if you gents don't want to come across I'll graft someone else. I rather have the nun, but if you gents prefer to pay for it yourself it's de cheese with me. The three men then offered to fur nish him with his supper if he. would tell them about himself. He said, Glad to do it, gents; used to it." He was taken to a restaurant, where he ordered a very hearty meal and while eating it told tho following about himself:
 Born Near Augusta, Maine.
 He was born on the outskirts of Au- gusta, Me. where his father worked as teamster. His mother had died when he was born and he and his father lived with his grandparents. When he was about years of age his father died and his grandparents moved to New York city, where his grandfather endeavored to make a living. but met with very hard luck as he was very old. Shlsey Jm's father having taken care of him until the time of his death.
 A fNy months after moving to New York his grandmother died. and a month or two afterwards his grandfather was run down by a heavy truck from which he died, after staying in a hospital for several weeks. Upon his grandfather s l death a Swedish woman who had rooms 1 on the same floor of the tenement in which they lived, took him to live with her. She had five children of her own. however, and after having lived with her for little over year he was gruffly l Ei hty baV atteh Ina n look cut for himself At thls time he was little over years of age.
 Kicked Out at Midnight
 This was during the early summer, and he was uncermoniously kicked out of home at the midnight hour. He curled up on the floor at the head of the steps and slept the balance of the night
 | He was awakened before daylight the next morning by a boy stumbling over him in the dark This boy ran a boot black stand and sold newspapers, and upon learning Shikey Jim's condition told him that he could go along with him and maybe he could find something to do. He taught Shikey Jim how to shine shoes and sell papers and gave him 10 cents day and fed him for his services He held this Job for several weeks, during which time he had accumulated nearly S2 He and his boss, however had falling out and Shikey Jim was fired. During this time he had been sleeping anywhere ne | could, most of the time under the plat form on which the bootblack chair stood.
 After being fired Shikey Jim decided to go into business for himself, so invested $1.25 in a small shoe shining outfit and spent few pennies for papers. He hung around the front of hotels with his shoe shining outfit, but had hard row of it as competition was keen, and he was so small that the other boys would beat him and make him keep out of the way. He was constantly being arrested for fighting and stealing fruit from the Dago stands.
 Got Job With Circus.
 He led this kind of existence until he was 15 years old, when he secured a job with Barnum & Baiey's circus. He found the work too hard. however, and shook them few weeks later In Chicago 1 in company with two men These men were very tough, and had been all around 1 the world. Both of them had also served terms in the penitentiary.
 1 They laid around Chicago for several l days living off the little money they had 1 drawn from the circus. When that gave out they began looking around for some- thing to do, and finally decided to work the race tracks. They were broke, how ever, and it was necessary to have it- , tie money before they could do what they wanted. One of the men accordingly took his stand upon one of the busiest corners l and kept an eye out for somebody whom he could relieve of his personal belong ings. In few minutes a sporty gambler with a huge diamond stud adorning the l front of his shirt came along. With a i quick movement the hobo jerked the stud loose from the tiny cross bar which held | 1t in the shirt, then turned and ran rap | idly up the street with crowd In pur- suit.
 The other hobo and Shikey Jim had received instructions as to what to do when this happened and proceeded to | carry them out. They ran in front of the crowd and tripped Up several of those | in pursuit These fell in front of the | crowd, which piled on top of them. The delay gave the other hobo good start and he soon shook the crowd.
 | The success of this robbery caused them | to give up the race track plan. The l diamond was disposed of to a pawn broker, netting them seven hundred | dollars The two hoboes each fook three