The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-08-18
"But was Of another mind. Want
ed to be husky and rough.

but was or another mind. Want
ed to be husky and rough.
"Many times I got chased by the
cops. Once when we were shooting
craps on a saloon corner in Gin
cinnati, copy nearly got me. / laid
low for couple OF nights, but he
had it in for me, and one night when
I was down on> nay .knaes rolling the
bones he nabbed me. He yelled, I've
got YOU at last, you little bum. Now
I'll give you nice long ride in the
taxi with a bell.' :
81 went along to the box and. he
rang for the wagon. He had me by
the back of the neck, and while he
was ringing I said to myself, you
can have my coat for ride, Copper,
but not me. wiggled out and bsa.
it. 1t was new trick for me, and
he fired and chased me. But 1 wa
too fast. Climbing fences, tore my
hand all to pieces with nails, and got
blood all over my clothes. had t.
tell grandpa, and again he took RI
away
"We went to Cleveland then and |
got job as apprentice machinist.
Wanted to learn mans trade.
used to wonder how it would feel to
be girl, and sometimes get sorry for
myself. But l was afraid if tried to
change back to girl I'd get pinched
"It was a good while before broke
into the gang there. They were the
toughest lot I'd seen. Gee, it was a
bearcat what happened to me there
The fellows had ring, and trainer
and they'd have a bout at lunch time
That's how learned to take heavy
punches and get knocked down. That's
what made me hard all right. And
when they learned l was picking up
and could spar pretty coed, they let
me into the crowd.
"I'd learned to run truck and
one night the gang planned to take a
| JOY ride with lot of girls. They al
ways put me up to the dirty work, be-
with it. If I showed yellow they'd
give me beating l wouldn't forget
They wouldn't have guy with q
streak in that crowd.
eve, my buddy and me, jumped q
truck, but it was locked. Of a sudder
a man came out and yelled and vice
squad was on us. We beat it and the
gang broke up for that night. Mex:
night, though, we pulled it, changed
the license on the car and chiseled of
some of the number. Then we went
for the girls and took a ride. 1 wa.
driving at high speed and ran head
long into Ford. ran too fast tt
see what happened
Zone boy and Cir! were caught
but they didn't squeal. They're no
rats, and if any of them ever got sent
up they did their time and kept theil
mouths shut. After that we KEEP
scarce, just coming around the corne,
as usual so as not to put the copper.
wise. Oh, we looked green, and go
away with it.
Next place we lived for any time
was Brooklyn. I was 1S then. Go
g job with Brist & Company, making
1-sheiis during. the war. TKe saperifI
tendent lived in the same house will
grandpa and me and he spoke for me
They put me to running an electric
crane inside, but the superintendent
knew l was pretty husky and though
| could throw COAL So he made m,
fireman of a steam crane outside.
"The engineer took liking to m,
and taught me to run the crane.
was proud, of course, and later tool
his place when he was sick.
"a girl in our house got dipp,
about me and tried to make me Civ,
up my job for office work. But
figured if l. was going to be a bo,
couldn't. go and get soft skin ant
white hands and look like girl. Wei
she used to come down to the yarC
and never gave me any rest till quit
was making 5000 month, too.
81 got job driving q truck for :
produce firm, rassling barrels Of stuff
and putting in long day. I didnr
have any special crowd, went swim
ming at the Y. NJ. C. A. and that was
all.
"Grandpa got tired of Brooklyn ant
went back to Asheville. We hadn't
sen my father for eight years, and he
i didn't know his daughter. There was
the deuce to pay and I got a licking
and girls dress, my step-mothel
tried to break me in on girls work
but it didn't take, aad grandpa and
pulled out again and went back tc
Brooklyn.
Ear Association