The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-07-16


Is paying Dubuque visit, the first
since 1900, In case 1t has been for
gotten, "A No: l." king of tramps, is
hobo, but Is in q class all by him
self. From one end Of the Unttel
States to the other his cabalistic
signs, for the guidance and informa-
ton of tramps, can be found on
fences, bridges and buildings. Since
his former visit he has written and
published history Of himself.
The man Is interesting for these
reasons: -.
He has hoboed 452,O35 miles. He
has spent only $7.61 on railroad
tickets. He has travelled $40 miles
since Jan. l, 1908, without paying a
cent in fare. He has been around
the world three times. He is a lin
guisl; speaks and writes in four Ian
guages. Has prevented twenty
wrecks. Wears $40 suit of clothes.
Wears a gold watch. Keeps his name
a secret. Carves potatoes for liv-
Ing and he does not smoke, drink,
crew, swear or gamble.
His first visit on arriving here was
to newspaper office, where he d.
vested himself Of his overalls and
| jumpers, and the transformation was
lsurprising. Attired in a neat, we'll
cut brown suit, clean shaven except
for a well-trimmed mustache, he had
the appearance of prosperous man
or student. His oxfords showed they
had received recent attention; his
linen was irreproachable, and his
derby hat was well brushed
A few moments later he was show
ing his few possessions, which are
valueless to anyone else, but worth
thousands of dollars to him.
A No. 1 keeps book system
showing where he has been and the
distance travelled from one city to an
other. The total distance travelled
is equal to eighteen trips around the
world. With pride the visitor pro-
| duced a gold medal which signifies
that A No. / has won a $1,000 prize
from a New York paper for beating
hia way from New York to San Fran
cisco In less time than six competi-
tors. His time was IL days and 6
hours
Made Sure OF Burial Place.
For $3.50 of this sum A No. 1
bought a cemetery lot and tombstone
at Cambridge Springs, Pa, and when
he dies directions found on his body
will instruct the finders to send it to
that place for burial.
A No. /, is thirty-five years old, and
| has been on the go since eleven years
| Of age. He has never returned to
his home, and on this point het was
reluctant about speaking. In every
other particular he was willing to
| give any information he could, but
his family connections are a thing of
! the past and he will not tell his real
name. The present nickname, by
which millions know him, was given
him by fellow tramp when a boy.
No. 1 is known best among rail-
road officials, whose recommended
tions he holds by scores. The cards
and accompanying sentence usually
read: Il have known A No. 1 for -
years; l know he is o. K and can
recommend him to any one" The
book in which these are contained
is the travellers fortune.
| Among the letters is one from
Thomas A. Edison, with whom A No.
1 spent an hour. At it's close Edi-
son gave him IS "to buy some CT
CARS" The visitor went out and
bought pair of shoes, sent back the
receipt to show what he had done
with the money and wrote across it:
Il don't smoke"
Carves Faces on Potatoes.
| A No. / has q profession. It is
carving potatoes, and in this he ex-
cells. Hundreds of times he has cary
ed faces for persons in return for
some small favor. He is also a wood
carver Of ability.
| The railroad officials who have
given him cards freely state that he
has prevented the loss of many lives
IN frequent cases. BY telling train
operatives, when beating his way, OF
broken car wheels or other disar-
rangements he has prevented seri-
Gus wrecks. He has been I'm four
wrecks, but has never been badly
hurt.
In his travels A No. has learned
four languages~-English, German,
! French and Spanish His parents
were a mixture Of French and Ger
man, but he was born in San Fran
cisco.
His toilet set is complete, though
1T takes little room to carry it. 1t
consists OF tooth brush and soap,
shaving set, comb and a few other
necessaries. His carving tools are