Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-11-20
.s''. .s..s.. .s..s..s....l.
!. "a NO. 1" STILL LIVES. !.
.s.''.'.. ..F...... .s..s..s..s..s.
.(The State.)

pointed to the headlines which bore
the legend that A No. 1, the famous
tramp, who has visited this city. vet
lives. Greatly exaggerated is the
pith Of steve's explanation, although
Steve didn't use just those words.
Steve, you know, was accused once
OF having taken trip with A No. 1,
but this Steve denies. So this office
was interested when Steve broke the
news that A No. still lives.
got yuh, Steve" said the report
er and Steve very quietly made his
exit after leaving the paper contain
Ing the details, which are:
Your letter Of inquiry, dated No
vember 8, at hand, and cheerfully
take the trouble to correct the report
which has been spread across the
United States that the writer creased
the rails At least twice each year
this report is spread over the country
by the press, and must confess-al-
though | rather enjoy reading how
the people are appreciating my hum
BILE efforts to reduce the tramp-evil
through my example and through my
writing on that subject--it keeps me
busy replying to thousands Of letters
sent by nv friends to silence their
fears as 10 my well-being.
How do these reports go abroad?
How and from whom do they ema-
nate?
You are, perhaps aware that /
send every blessed hobo kid whom
encounter upon my Journeys back
to their homes. For,/ whenever find
a greasy, whiskey-bloated, thieving
tram taking other peoples sons
about with them, teaching these rest
less, but perhaps otherwise harmless
youngsters the vagrancy, the immor-.
ality and the criminality of his own
pitiful life, not only have the
scoundrel arrested, but see to 1t that
the wretch received such long term
of imprisonment that 1t will be i'm
possible for him to meet the boy, or
boys, at some appointed meeting
place. also see that the boys par
ents are notified andy he Is returned
home. N@t
"You are perhaps aware that not
only practice what preach, but to
interest as many other well-meaning
people as possible have written
books to teach my experiences to the
public, and theso stories, lhree OF
them, are doing untold damage to
thot class of trampS, VINO, too filthy
and TOO lazy 70 hes a neal, take boys
about to do not only this part Of the
begging, but make them beg money,
steal silverware, watches, purses, etc.,
while in their benefactors' houses.
MY second book, Hobo Campfire
Tales has been the cause of hun
dreds of these 'kid-carrying tramps'
almost having their lives pounded out
Of them, as | describe it in the pitt
fully disgusting life small runaway
boy was forced to lead by tramp.
"The reports that I have been
killed; that have carved up Pullman
>oiob thoI nave DOyS,
that there are large rewards offered
for my apprehension, ETC.. are spread
by this clu"3 Of >tramps, who have
now been forced, through my activ-
ity, to either beg their own food or
go to work like decent people. Also
remember, begging for living is
not natural for a grown person, nor
anyone else for that matter, and the
longer a tramp is on the road the
surer he falls victim to a strange
phenomenon, he loses his nerve as
we roadsters call 1t, and when a hobo
cannot get boy to do his begging
he HES himself to the big cities and
ends his days living on the slum sa-
looms free lunch counters-he quits
the road and thus reduces the hobo
army.
There are even several tramp lec-
turers under the name of million
aire tramps,' making corner speeches
denouncing the writer and his cam
paign to strike at the root of the
whole tramp evil; that by sending
every boy who Is caught tramping
aimlessly about the country, one less
tramp, one less criminal, one less
cripple Is made and at their finish
one less pauper will have to be buried
IN potters field.
This Chicago White who is to
blame for this latest report Of my
sudden taking off, used to take from
three to six small boys about with