Year: 1879

preaching Of the law of righteousness


during the last decade, had Christian


people better realized that religion and


morality are inseparable, there would


have been fewer Of those defections


which have scandalized the world and


shamed the church of Christ. A


moral interregnum" is inevitable un-


less the tendency of things now can


be checked in precisely this way.


Religion, and not science, is the only


thing that ever has been or ever will


be able to vitalize morality.


The great Baptist paper of New York, the Ex-


aminer & Chronicle, does not take kindly to


the pets of the late Hon. Levi DUNCAN. Hear it:


RAMPANT TRAMPs. "A few DAYS


ago two tramps entered drug store


in the village Of Ripley, in this State.


and ordered the clerk to fill a bottle


with alcohol for them. The clerk re-
fused, and one of the tramps drew a
pistol to enforce his demand. Fortu-
nately the clerk had revolver at
hand, and covered" the rascal with it


before he could shoot, whereupon the
men beat hasty retreat. Three 9TH
ers were waiting for them outside, and


the five proceeded to liquor saloon.


overpowered the bar tender, and hav-
ing drank freely of the liquors they
found there, went out and stood for
more than an hour in the village
street, firing pistols at passers-by. Fl
nally word was sent to deputy sheriff
at Westfeld, who, when he came, rec
ognlzed the men as members Of a par
ty who had robbed drug store in
Westfeld the day before. As soon as
the tramps caught sight of the deputy
they opened fire on him, and wounded
him quite severely in the leg. But
the officer pluckily returned the fire,
and was soon reinforced by party of
citizens armed with pistols. They be-
gan a vigorous attack upon the
tramps, who retreated, keeping up
running fire as they retired. One of
the tramps was shot dead, and another
was so badly wounded that he died in
a short time. The others took to the
woods and made their escape.


This is sample Of many similar
accounts of outrages by tramps with
which the newspapers are filled. If
all that have been published within
the last two or three years were
brought together, the bare statement
of facts would fill large volume.
For years these miserable hordes of
vagabonds have been roaming up and
down through the land, begging, pill
Laying, destroying property, threaten
ing and even numbering defenceless
men and women, and playing the part
of fierce and cruel brigands to their
hearts content; and yet in the great
State Of New York, which is fairly
oVerrun with them, there are no ade-
quate legal means by which they can
be dealt with as they deserve.


1t is certainly most unfortunate
that law abiding citizens have no rem
edy against such outrages as that we
have recOunted, but to arm themselves
and fight for the safety of their per-
sons and property. The ordinary le-
gal processes have not been found
sufficient for the emergency. The
outrage is committed, and the tramp
is off before the cumbrous machinery
Of the law can be brought into opera
ton. Vagabondage, which is, in its
present form, new thing in this
country, should be made a penal Of
fence, and the tramp be regarded as
an enemy to social order, to be sum-
marily arrested and compelled to earn
his bread by hard labor Until some
such plan as this is adopted, the evil
will continue, and will grow to such
proportions that citizens
will be driven to desperate measures to
rid themselves Of the evil. 1t is to be
hoped that whatever the complexion
Of the next Legislature and whoever
may be chosen Governor, wise and
stringent tramp law will be among
the measures first adopted.