Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-12-25
THEY ARE INSEPARABLE
NEW YORK CRoNIES, OLD BLIND
TOM AND OLD BLIND JOE.
\ Pair Of Cheerful Tramps Who Have
Travelled Together for
Twenty Years.

Let me have your hand. Joe. 50 that
can know You approve of what say
said Old Blind Tom yesterday. as he
and his companion Of twenty years, Old
Blind Joe. sat III the ante-room off War
den foX's office in the workhouse on
Blackwell's island, prepared TO give an
Interview to Il World reporter regarding
their remarkable friendship, which re-
suited in old Toms Imprisonment, al
though he had committed no offense.
Old Blind Joe pushed his thin hand
INTO the plump hand of Old Tom and
the latter began his narrative. lie first
told OF the arrest of Old Blind Joe on
Sunday night on a charge of mendlcancy.
joe was taken before Magistrate Moss
IN the night court and sentenced to ten
days III the WOrkhouse. Another case
had been called and Magistrate Moss
was preparing 10 hear it when Old Tom
raised his voice
What is to become of me- judge
he asked. If we are separated | will
die. We hooked up twenty years ago
and have never been separated since
then. Please send me to the workhoLse,
too
Sc it was that Blind Tom was commit
ted to the WOrkhouse with Blind Joe.
They We're entert on the records under
oseph l.eilly.
You people who are blessed with eye
sight cannot realize how much Joe and
| are to each other" said old Tom.
such friendship as ours Is not known
to you. We have plodded the streets
hand in hand day after day for twenty
years or more, and have gone to sleep
at night with our fingers intertwined.
could not live without soc, and Joe
would die if he did not have me.
I'VE met in the almsnouse when Joe
was young man. Joe lost his sight
playing baseball, having been hit in the
face with a ball, and | lost my sight by
a fall which injured my spine. | might
have saved my sight if | had taken care
of myself, but l didn't, and gradually
things began to blur before my ewes, In
Il year | was totally blind.
1t was only natural that Joe, being
blind, should single me out as his COM
panion in the almshouse That is how
our friendship started, and we have
stuck to each other ever since One
day one of the inmates of the almshouse
iostled Joe, and l interfered. The man
then turned on me and was going to
strike me- Although | could not see
him. | knew intuitively what was TAX
ing place, and like a flash | raised my
hickory cane and brought it crashing
down on his skull. He was not badly
hurt. but the officials accused me of be
ing trouble-maker, and l was dis
charged from the almshouse. Joe said
he would not stay there without me, st
we went out to face the world together
That is about all there is to it. We
sang on street corners for pennies anC
generally earned enough to pay for lodg
ing and food. We have always made
it a rule to be happy. Happiness anC
sorrow are all obtained for one price
and we chose to be happy. We are not
sorry at being sent to the workhouse
The weather is cold, and this is a fan
refuge. So long as we are together VIZ
do not care.
IF we could be returned to the aims
house we would ask for nothing better
/ We would not give the officials there oc
casiOn again to turn us out
Warden Fox, who was present at The
interview, promised Old Tom that ht
would try to arrange to have them placed
in the almshouse at the expiration Of
their terms in the wOrkhouse
Old Blind Tom and Old Blind Joe wer,
familiar characters in the white ligh
district. Theatergoers will remember the
pathetic old pair who night after nigh
walked the streets. Joe in front hitting
the sidewalk with his hickory cane anC
| Tom following, holding his hand. New
York World.