The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-03
.>''BUMS" PASS ON.
Noticeable Decrease in Knights
of the Road.
Topeka Police Say That Falling
Off Unusu i.
DUETOCOLD WEATHER
Has Prevented the Hobo" From
Circulating.
Consequently He Has Staid in
.t in Large Cities.
WEATHER

While there is no manner of insuring
against the spring invasion of hobos
the empty handed visitors to Topeka
this winter have been indeed few and
far between. Whether because of the
Indictment weather or some other cause
the fact remains that not more than %
per cent as many "tramps'' or 'vags'
or whatever you desire to call them,
have reached here during the winter
months as usually come in cold wealth.
er.
While people have been free from
Fostering largely as result of this
shortage in the great throng of un-
washed, the bum book at the police
station shows that less than one-fourth
as many hobos have visited the city
prison this winter when the number in
past winters is considered. There also
have been fewer arrests on the charge
of vagrancy.
The police bum book is a book in
which the names of all the buns who
apply for shelter for the night are kept.
Men without means and no apparent
manner of earning a livelihood are
liable to arrest on the charge of Vag-
rancy. They know this. the profess
sional ones, and SO beat the police to Il
by going to police headquarters and ap-
plying for shelter. They are registered
on the bum book and locked in with
which serves as sleeping room. recep
ton hail. parlOr, dining room and IL
brary.
Here they get a good nights sleep
where the temperature is less severe
than outside and next morning they
are fresh for their journey. Breakfast
is given them on certain conditions.
The hobo is told that he can go any
time that he wants to or can stay for
breakfast with the other prisoners pro-
til 10 O'Clock. making little ones out Of
big ones" Usually the hobo works for
the city until 10 o'clock. He prefers to
do this rather than take chances on
"panhandling'' a meal before he gets
out of town and being arrested on the
and tries to find another place whereby
he can find shelter during the night.
The bum book" carries hundreds of
names in course of year, and with
each name is the story of sorrow in
some life. blasted hopes, unrealiZed
ambitions and grievous disappointment.
But the unfortunate one gets a good
nights shelter, good breakfast If he
cares to work a couple of hours and
that is good start on the days tramp.
1t is believed that the cold weather
IS largely responsible for the scarcity
OF hobos this winter. Early in the fall
the cold set in and it covered the entire
country. The hobo in the large city.
Tor most OF them gather there in the
fall, has evidently preferred to take his
chances at gathering enough at pan
handling" to eat and most of them
know of some place in the large towns
where they can sleep a few hours on
the floor of an entrance to a large
building, near radiator. or some 9TH
er place, and this was preferred to fight
ing the Wintry wind and weather.
To this scarcity of poorly financed Wis
itors is probably due the fact that
there mas not been great deal of
petty burglary here this winter The
hobo will steal He can't help it. He
is without nice things and the sight of
them tempt him beyond his strength.
Sometimes even the thought of them is
sufficient to cause him to stray from
the paths of honesty. And people along
his route suffer as a result