Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-26

ceive medical attention, and are helt
only until sober. In Monterey, Tam
pico, San Luis Potosi, Salinas Cru;
and several other Of the larger citit!
the America1s is nominally fin
ed, and bShfs not the wherewitha
to pay he zE1s help clean the streets
If he does Join the chain gang it onl!
opens another way and means t.
graft. The gendarme (police) undeI
whom he works will allow him to bel
and bum" all Americans who pas
by. Such graft is evenly divided will
the police in charge.
Seven years residence in the tropic
and daily contact with the profession
al tramp element convinced the writes
that ninety per cent Of the American
tramps In Mexico are victims Of te
quila or mescal, which drinks hav'
killed more Americans in the tropic
than disease.
Genuine tequila or mescal, IL drunl
in moderation would compare will
the strong drinks Of this country. Blu
1t seems impossible for a foreigner t
partake moderately Of these drinks
The average life of the tequila fiends 4
from three to seven years, though
have known men of strong constitu
ton to fight these poisonous drink
much longer.
The American bum in Mexico cal
be truly called scientific worker
Glass among them is as definitely ant
strictly defined as it is between tn
Four Hundred Of New York and 1t
underworld.
The writer spent the night until tn
closing hour Of ten o'clock in the Arc'
de Noe, ga San Juan de Letran, Mexi
co City. This place has for man!
years been the rendezvous and hang
out for American tramps Located
as it Is, few minutes walk from al
the leading hotels. the American bun
has found it veritable haven o
refuge.
LII udih N, Aooit
ing place, with its six marble-toppe'
tables, a drink may be purchased TO
two, three, six or twelve cents, Mexi
can money. In this place met man,
brilliant and intelligent men, many o
them Americans, who have helped re
construct and build up Mexico. Her
1 met "the harper" known as tn
cleverest American bum in Mexico
1 found the "dueno" (owner) pai'
him all the respect due a gentleman.
II have been a bum in Mexico 70
ten years." said "the harper" "an'
while 1 manage to get along, thing
are not what they once were here
Many American buns and tramp
work the tourists, but they are poo
graft. The railroad and tourist com
panies warn their patrons nowaday
against the American bum, and tn
limit of a touch from this class is
peseta (25 cents.)
1.-The better class bum," continued
my informant, after had made dis
tress signal to the fat Spanish bar
tender, when he first hits Mexic,
City works his friends. and late
takes up all the resident American
who are engaged in his same line o
business. Then he watches the news
papers, which daily publish the arri
val of American guests at the hotels
A pair Of riding breeches and a pal
of English puttees have made many {
man call himself mining engineer II
Mexico.
"As for myself, 1 have found tn
old time American business man tn
fall guy for a strong touch. To ge
to this class you must be a good con
versationalist, talk on any subject ant
make good After a while you wea
out, and you must then become ;
steer That is, the bum picks up
new fellow bum and sends hin
against the same people from whom
he himself has begged money. TIL
steer and his pupil divide the amour
obtained, and so we'll does the steer
know his victims that there is NJ
chance for the student to hold out OF
his instructor"
1 was much interested with my in
formant's talk, and after / bough
drinks for him and several friends h
introduced me to a number Of tn,
local colony. Americans and English
men, who had been rich and promi
nent, and who had, as civil engineers
built hundreds Of miles of Mexican
railroads. Here in this place had diet
''the Count" a Polish nobleman, vic
tim of the white line" drinks. knew
him when he was in wealth and influ
ence, and, had he lived six week
longer, another 100000 would hav,
been paid him. Here 1 met Jacob l..
once the richest American in Mexico
City, and who brought the first Amer
lean sawmill to the country; forme
captain in the United States army; al
actor who not so many years ago wa
well known along Broadway; a for
mer American naval officer; chemist
who had drawn fabulous salaries from
the leading mining companies; mer
Of prominence in all walks Of life-al
victims of the white line" drinks
and from them all "the harper" wht
had been my guide to Mexico City!
underground world, received homag,
and respect.
There is nothing to it," continued
"the harper" THE buns money al
goes for drink. No good tramp evel
asks another for help. no matter how
dire may be his need. but it is an un,
written law that a fellow tramp mus
H.,sr l..l.. L