One Cure For Vagrancy

1900

Policeman's Simple Scheme to Make Door-Sleepers Move On

The New York police force is credited with being one of the best in the world, but at least one member of it is a genius born for greater things. He has invented a method for ridding his beat of vagrants and doorstep sleepers.

This officer is attached to the Church street station, and patrols in the neighborhood of Washington street and the Battery, where cheap lodging houses, small beer saloons, "labor agencies," and the genuine "Weary Willie" luxuriantly abound, so he has almost daily opportunity to test his invention.

The vagrant is not particular where he sleeps, so that it costs nothing, and doorways are favorite lodging places. It was a sleeper in one of these that received a never-to-be-forgotten shock the other day. He was asleep in the doorway of a saloon, with his head thrown back against the jamb and his legs sprawled over the pavement. "Watch me make him more on," said the inventor. His hand went under his coat-tails, and it looked as if he were going for his gun in deadly earnest.

A spectator stood petrified, waiting to see a bloody tragedy enacted, but the bluecoat pulled out a small vial, and leaning over the sleeper, poured some of the contents on his thick, reddish mustache. The effect was electrical. With a wild snort and a gurgling gasp the hitherto inert figure sprang into the air and clawed at his mouth and throat; the tears streamed out of his eyes, which were distended with terror, and he stood gasping and making horrible faces and still clawing frantically at his mouth and throat, while the policeman smiled grimly and waited for the customary denouement. It came in a moment.

As soon as the terrorized doorstep lodger had recovered enough of his breath to permit his moving he started hurriedly up Washington street, sans coat, sans hat, sans everything but a consuming desire to put as much distance between himself and that door as possible.

The policeman laughed heartily as he watched the rapidly retreating figure. "I'll bet he don't come back here again," he said. That dose'll last him for a month. Ammonia's a great thing. It's better than insect powder, and it saves making arrests. That fellow is not only obeying the move-on ordinance, but the dose sobered him up, to boot." — New York Mail and Express.

As Straight Men See Him

1909

The Dead-Beat is Probably the Most Despised Creature That Walks the Earth

No man is wholly free from sin, but so many lesser evils are tolerated that a man should hesitate long before becoming a dead-beat.

Criminals are despised and abhorred, but to the dead-beat all that is coming, as well as the contempt of his fellow men. There is something at once so mean and so little in taking advantage of the confidence which comes with friendship that the hand of every man is turned against a dead-beat as soon as his reputation is well established.

The dead-beat may fondly imagine he is living easy and making money without work, and, of course, he takes no account of the confidence he violates and the hardships he inflicts on others. But, that aside, he really has a harder time than the man who is honest and fair. He is compelled to move a good deal, and peace of mind he knows not. Like other types of crooks, he doesn't prosper, and his finish is more unpleasant than the beginning. — Atchison Globe.


1900

Deadly Blunderbusses of Guatemala

Down in Guatemala the favorite weapon of the native bandits and desperadoes is a sawed-off muzzle-loading shotgun of the blunderbuss pattern, and when they run short of buckshot they sally out to the railroad and steal a few dozen seals, which are simply disks of soft lead about the size of quarters. Pounded into rough balls, they make projectiles by the side of which a Dumdum is an angel of mercy, and when one of their blunderbusses goes off it generally kills everything in sight except the man directly behind it.

A Snap For Bums

Chicago, 1908

A city newspaper has started a movement to provide meals and lodgings for unemployed single men, without pay or price. Without questioning the free advertising the paper may get from it, the course is very ill advised and should be stopped, as it will mean the assembling of every hungry "bum" and "hobo" in the country who will hasten to Chicago where they may be provided with a good living without work.

Anyone can guess the answer to this; it will mean robberies, holdups and all kinds of crime perpetrated by these lazy and irresponsible tramps, who will avail themselves of the kind invitation of the paper.

The city relief committee proposes giving unemployed men work on the streets, each day's work to be paid for a ticket entitling those who work to three days' board and lodging, the two days may be used in hunting for work, and the committee will see to it that vagrants who will not seek employment will be arrested, and compelled to move on. This may seem hard hearted, but it is the only way the people of the city can be protected against the horde of bums who will flock to the city to avail themselves of the soft snap this paper is offering them.


1900

On A Clear Day Pigeons Can See Forever

It doesn't always pay the supercilious doctor to cut his patients.

Words are the blossoms and deeds are the fruits.

The clothing of a growing boy refuses to grow with him.

On a clear day a pigeon can see 200 miles.

A Pair of Hobos – Interfering with Switchman, Found Guilty

Ohio, 1894

A Pair of Hobos

On Trial for Interfering with a Switchman in the Lake Shore Yards

Two men named James Johnson and Thomas McLaughlin were on trial in the Common Pleas court nearly the whole of Thursday on an indictment charging them with interfering with a switchman in the manipulation of switches and signals.

Johnson is a middle aged man who hails from Buffalo and says he is employed in erecting telegraph poles. He also claims to be something of a pugilist, and his looks support his claim. McLaughlin is a younger fellow of 21, who says he is a waiter on board lake steamers, is an innocent looking fellow whose own statements that he has been arrested for vagrancy and drunkenness would astonish any ordinary person not accustomed to criminal court scenes.

The evidence showed that on the night of September 13 a young man named Kimball, who is employed as night switchman in the Lake Shore yards, went to turn the switches and also the target signals which are used to let the trains of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad company enter the Lake Shore depot, when he was confronted by the prisoners who told him they were running things. There were three other hobos in company with the accused. The switchman knocked down one of the men with his lamp and brushed the other aside, thus being enabled to make the switches. There was some delay, however, and a west bound train was detained temporarily. The men were arrested late at night, one while asleep on the target platform and the other while in a drunken sleep in a lot adjoining the railroad right of way.

Mr. W. W. Bowen assisted Prosecutor Mackey for the State and Judge Colver defended the accused. The case went to the jury at 5:30 and an hour later a verdict of guilty was returned.

—The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, Ohio, Dec. 21, 1894, p. 5.

Hoboes Start "Wild West"; Capture Train

1920

Hoboes Start "Wild West"

Deputies Have Exciting Chase After Seven Tramps Who Refuse to Pay Fare

LOS ANGELES, Neb. 25.—After a day of "Wild West" activity, started by the report that a gang of hobos had held up and "captured" a Southern Pacific freight train outside of Mojave, and a series of gun plays and thrilling automobile chases by officers, seven men were lodged in the county jail on the charge of evading railroad fare.

The seven were nabbed by deputy sheriffs after they left the freight train at Saugus. Three of the seven jumped from the train before it arrived at the station, and made a temporary escape by boarding a passing truck. They were chased by the officers to San Fernando, and there taken into custody at the point of sawed-off shotguns.

At least twenty men were in the gang when the brakeman of the train, W. S. Brown of Los Angeles, discovered them, he told Deputy Sheriffs Bell and Couts. Just before the train arrived in Saugus the majority of the gang, which included armed men, became suspicious of the reception that awaited them there, and boarded a freight train bound in the opposite direction.

The men refused to leave, and, when he threatened to put them off, offered resistance.

"You just try to put us off," one of the bunch called out, pulling a revolver from his pocket. Another gun was flashed, and then the brakeman was told that the train was "captured," and informed that he'd better go on to Los Angeles, the officers say.

An account of the situation was telegraphed to Los Angeles, and the Sheriff's office was notified, Deputies Couts and Bell were called from their homes and with Driver Arthur Cabbage were sent ahead to Saugus to meet the train.

The deputies nearly lost their prisoners when the county car, speeding toward Saugus, broke down a few miles from its destination. A passing automobile had to be commandeered, and the officers arrived in Saugus just in time to organize a posse.

With Constable Collins and the volunteers the officers "covered" the train when it pulled into the station, and told the men on it "to stick 'em up." Only four hobos came out of their hiding places, hands high up in the air. The officers realized that several had escaped, and soon learned that some of the gang boarded a truck a few miles outside of Saugus.

It was then that a second chase was started. The truck was overtaken near San Fernando and the three men on it taken into custody. The seven prisoners will be held for further investigation.

—The Evening State Journal and Lincoln Daily News, Lincoln, Nebraska, February 25, 1920, page 3.

Probably Hobo Burglars Stocking Up for Winter

Lisbon, Wisconsin, 1911

BURGLARS AT WORK

Raiding Stores in Northern Portion of The County—Schroeder Loses $100

Lisbon, Nov. 21.—Last Friday morning when Frank Schroeder went to his till he found that it had been smashed and emptied during the night and about $20 in cash taken. On further investigation he found that he was the loser of shirts, pants, coats, jewelry and watches. The loss will be hard to estimate, bit he is sure that $100 worth of goods were taken. It looks like hobos' work — just stocking up for the winter.

The long-needed electric bell is now installed at the Soo crossing in Templeton. This is one of the bad railway crossings as it is less than fifteen seconds sometimes from the time a train appears under the N.W. bridge until it crosses the highway, and the heavy grade of the N.W. road obstructs most of the noise and sound of the train and whistle, which may be sounded north of said crossing.

Mrs. Sarah and Miss Luella Bonham and Miss Winnie Campbell left Wednesday for a few weeks' visit with relatives and friends in Missouri.

Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Brown and Mrs. E. Gerken left last week Thursday for Decatur, Ill., where they will visit their sister, Mrs. Chester Christman. They expect to return this week.

Fred Stier returned Thursday from Sheldon, where he was deer hunting. He brought home one of the choicest does that ever came to this town.

George W. Elliott left Friday for Leona, where he will visit his brother, R. S. Elliott, M. D., and also to look for deer. We hope he will escape the buck fever.

There is nothing doing at the big well at the N. W. depot. The drill is stuck at the depth of 690 feet, where it has been for over a month. Charles E. Weaver, James and Robert Booth returned from Sheldon Tuesday. Charles and Bob each had a deer. Jim got a skunk.

H. W. Abel drove to Colgate Sunday, where he attended the funeral of Mrs. J. Busse.

Rev. Mr. Kaper went to Juneau last week to attend the dedicatory services of a new church on Sunday. Dr. Rollins conducted services here in his stead. The Ladies' Missionary society will meet next Wednesday with Mrs. George McKerrow. Don't forget the big fair and chicken pie supper this afternoon and evening in the M. E. church parlors.

—The Waukesha Freeman, Waukesha, Wisconsin, November 23, 1911, page 5.

England's Hoboes Are Super-Tramps

1913

ENGLAND'S HOBOES ARE SWELLS

SUPER-TRAMP NO COMMON BO

LONDON, March 1. -- England has discovered that among the 60,000 tramps that adorn her countryside are some sure-enough aristocrats who, patriots believe, would take a lot of beating.

England, in fact, claims to have evolved the super-tramp; a hobo who is shared and manicured as carefully as a west end "nut," and whose dandyism lacks nothing but spats and a crease down his trousers. One such Beau Brummel of the turnpike -- whose cash capital considered on one cent -- leaned against the dock rail of a London police court in an attitude of Piccadilly grace, the other day, and smiled languidly while a police sergeant recited from his note book as follows:

"I found upon the prisoner, your worship, the following articles:

"Razor in case, leather back shaving mirror, shaving brush (badger hair), tablet of Windsor soap, bone nailbrush, case of needles, spool of cotton, thimble, table knife, dessert spoon."

Referring to this case, a Scotland Yard inspector with whom the writer talked, declared that searching an English tramp was "like dipping into a lucky back," and instanced a woman named Willis, who was arrested for vagrancy a short time ago. To the outward eye, she simply was a homeless woman, without money, food or property, but closer examination revealed a leather belt under her waist to which were attached, with a neat row of hooks, an equipment of knives and forks, a collapsible frying pan, changes of clothing, needlework, a purse containing $6.80 and a bag of food.

This outfit, moreover, said the Scotland Yard man, was not luxurious but primitive compared with the portables carried by many British "wearies." One connoisseur is known who brews exquisite China tea under Surrey hedges, while there is another known to the brotherhood as "the doctor," whose luggage include a beautiful little medicine chest which he hides in thick grass or under a heap of stones before he knocks for admission to the nearest "casual ward."

Some British hoboes are ardent collectors. They collect everything except work. The police at Kingston-on-Thames discovered a tramp a while ago, who was traveling about with a handsome kit-bag. They found in it, among other things, 61 lead pencils, four pairs of spectacles, two table knives, three linen collars, three boxes of matches, a looking glass, a tooth brush, two pairs of laces, a handsome magnifying glass, and a silver-mounted pipe.

The owner of this collection proudly denied that he was a peddler, declaring indignantly that he had "never fallen so low." Money he had none, but every now and then a tramp is discovered in possession of a sum that none of us would be sorry to have to his credit in the bank.

One such Monte Cristo among hoboes was Patrick Halloran, who, after touring the beauty spots of Ireland for 35 years, was discovered at Midleton, in County Cork, with $575 in his possession, all in golden half-sovereigns. This money was neatly piled up in two tin canisters on a wheelbarrow which Halloran had been pushing before him for many years. He had a collapsible kitchen and a collapsible bed on his wheelbarrow, too!

Then there was a queer character, known as the "eccentric duchess," who sought the aid of the police at Kettering to find shelter for the night. This "duchess" was as tattered and torn as the man in "The House That Jack Built," and her personal baggage consisted of only two brown paper parcels. When these were opened however, 344 bright sovereigns worth $5 each flowed out on the inspector's desk among the pens and ink and memoranda.

--Nevada State Journal, Reno, Nevada, March 3, 1913, page 3.

Four-Legged Chicken Hatched, Freak May Be Exhibited

1911

THIS CHICKEN A QUADRUPED.

Stands on Two Legs While it Scratches With the Other Two.

Chicken stories are like snake stories: some of them are untrue. This one is true and can be verified by those who are skeptical.

Gus Yuckenberg, of South Sixth street, has some Black Minorcas of which he is exceptionally proud and it is an egg from a setting of this favorite breed that produced the freak.

The chicken has a body just like any normal chicken but it has more than the usual allowance of legs, having four instead of just two. It is indeed a strange sight to see the chicken standing on two legs and scratching with the other two which have but two claws. The extra pair of legs are just behind the two normal legs and are of the same length. Yukenberg is thinking of putting the chicken on exhibition. The chicken otherwise is perfectly normal and healthy and was latched on Decoration Day.



Tramp Resisted Arrest

Although Indiana is particularly free from tramps this year, an occasional hobo drifts into town, and is promptly ordered by the police to skedaddle. One of them came to town on Monday and was seen by Chief of Police Keller Harris, who promptly ordered him to leave or go to work on the streets. It was thought he had left. Instead, he took on a heavy load of the fluid that cheers and went to sleep along the railroad near School street. Chief Harris found him and was bringing him to jail, when the tramp resisted with might and main. The officer used his club which had much to do with subduing the pugilistic proclivities of the tramp, and he was finally landed in jail.

—Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana, Pennsylvania, June 6, 1911, page 1.

Decrease of Vagrants Seen, Fewer Seeking "Flop"

Janesville, Wisconsin, 1915--

DECREASE IN "VAGS" WHO SEEK LODGING

Only Those Who Refuse to Work Apply to Spend Night In City Hall "Bull Pen."

This morning when Officer W. E. Gower opened the doors to the city hall cell room there were five men who walked out after being lodgers in what is commonly styled the "bull pen." One year ago there were just twenty transients released after the night's lodging. The difference shows the decrease in number of transients, hobos and vagrants coming into the city.

So far during the month there have been but eight registered at the city hall station for the so called "flop," as the transients call the lodging. Last year in December there was 287 registered at the free lodging place. In November this year the police books show that ninety stayed at the station, while a year ago during the same month there was a total of 236 listed. Now it appears that the "floppers," as the police call them, who do stay at the jail are professional transients. They belong to the "W. W. W. W. W. association, which means "We Won't Work Will We?"

"The only reason I can account for the enormous decrease is that the men have been able to find work and only those who wouldn't work for love or money are coming into the station. These men who come here report that there is considerable employment to be had around the state and jobs are out looking for the men instead of men looking for jobs," said Chief Champion.

Consequently the police department is not using past kind measures in caring for the transients. Since they won't work, they are not provided with breakfast of coffee and bread. In the past two years this menu, which proved very welcome to the transients, was given in the morning to prevent them begging in the residence district. In the morning the men in the station are given a curt warning to leave the city and if found later in the day are generally brought before the court for vagrancy.

While the increased demand for laborers may be largely responsible for the decrease in the number of vagrants sleeping at the station, the ninety day sentences and strict watchfulness of the department may be partly responsible for the reform.

--Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, December 23, 1915, page 4.

Seven Vags Arrested, Will Break Stone at Jail 15 Days

Sheboygan and Janesville, Wisconsin, 1915--

SEVEN VAGS ARRESTED IN SOUTH YARDS

WILL BREAK STONE AT THE JAIL WORKHOUSE FOR FIFTEEN DAYS

A wholesale arrest of "vags" was made this morning by Detective Luft of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, Undersheriff Hugo Fesing and Deputy Sheriff George Goodell. Seven hoboes were arrested in South Yards. They give their names and ages as follows:

Frank Bertschy, 26; Rodger Plude, 21; E. Becker, 28; Jim Wise, 30; John Marshall, 22; Matt Kowatch, 30; John Zagortz.

The vags were taken before Justice of the Peace George Reuther and sentenced to 15 days in the workhouse. Most of them are from Milwaukee. They have been hanging about the yards waiting a chance to beat their way out of the city.

--The Sheboygan Press, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, August 27, 1915, page 6.



VAGRANT IS SENTENCED FOR A THIRTY DAY TERM

William Morris, formerly of Milwaukee, was sentenced to thirty days under the commitment law in the municipal court this morning when he pleaded guilty to the double charge of drunkenness and vagrancy. Morris was arrested for "panhandling" on Main street by Patrolman Charles Handy.

--Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, November 11, 1915, page 2.

Some Day You'll Be Busted, Herding with the Vags

Racine and Sheboygan, Wisconsin, 1915--

"Walt Mason Says"
By Walt Mason

IN YEARS TO COME

Money comes in easy, when a man is young, and in manner breezy to the birds it's flung. "He's a tightwad fossil who would save," he cries, and in rout and wassail, fast the money flies. Thrown into the gutters, thrown at drakes and ducks! "There is more," he mutters, "where I got these bucks." Youth, alas, is fleeting, as a pair of steers, and there's no repeating of the sunny years. You don't duly prize it, boys so blithe and gay! You don't realize it, till you're growing gray! Youth is swiftly speeding, years that won't return, and you'll soon be needing all this coin you burn. There is nothing sadder in this vale of tears, than a worn-out gadder, crippled by the years, toiling, poor and lonely, up and down the street, sighing, "If I only had some grub to eat!" There is nothing tougher than to see a gent starve and weep and suffer, when with age he's bent. All the battered relics who for handouts crave, once were giddy alecks who refused to save. Don't be too disgusted when you see their rags; some day you'll be busted, herding with the vags!

--The Racine Journal-News, Racine, Wisconsin, August 3, 1915, page 4.



HAS NO HOME, DOESN'T WORK, MUST BE VAG

"Where do you live?"
"No place."
"Where do you work?"
"No place."

These questions and answers settled a case in court this morning when John Klabeck, Austrian, was arraigned on a charge of vagrancy.

Klabeck was unable to understand much English and did not know the meaning of the word "vagrant" or "guilt," so the judge used simpler terms.

Klabeck was given 10 days in the county jail workhouse. He was arrested by Officer Heimke in Mike Keenan's horse shed, which he would not claim as his residence.

--The Sheboygan Press, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, August 27, 1915, page 3.

Police: No More Coffee and Bread for Vagrants

Janesville and Grand Island, Wisconsin, 1915--

STOP FEEDING VAGRANTS AT CITY POLICE STATION

Chief Champion this morning discontinued the practice of giving the transients and city police station lodgers coffee and bread for breakfast. It was decided the demand for labor was sufficient for the men to find jobs if they cared to work, and the "vags" will be "drilled" out of town each morning after being released. A report will be made on the number received at the station and the cost of feeding them by Chief Champion within a fortnight.

The begging evil is promised to be checked by the energy of the police department in preventing "panhandling," and the heavy jail sentences that have been given offenders for vagrancy in the municipal court.

--Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, March 30, 1915, page 2.



POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A MAN WHO LOST COFFEE

One day last week John Wollach bought a large can of coffee from a stranger, and he bought it so cheap that the police were under the impression that the coffee had been stolen. He was interviewed on the subject and he described the man he had bought the coffee of, and it was decided that the man was James Wilson, a fellow had been released from the county jail only a day or two before. Wilson was rounded up, and notwithstanding that he denied all knowledge of the coffee, he was identified by Wollach as the one who had made the sale.

The police were unable to discover anybody who had lost about ten pounds of roasted coffee, but Wilson plead guilty to a charge of vagrancy and was given twenty days in the county jail.

The police are under the impression that the coffee might have come from the circus that was in the city on Friday, a friend in the cooking department having set it out where it could be picked up a passing stranger without exciting any suspicion.

--The Grand Rapids Tribune, Grand Rapids, Wisconsin, July 21, 1915, page 2.

Comment: The circus that was in town on Friday was the Sells-Floto Circus, including Buffalo Bill's Original Wild West, Friday, July 16.

The Worthless Wrecks of Hobodom

Janesville and Racine, Wisconsin, 1915--

An item from Court News

Charles Alberts, a veteran dwarfed member of the clan of hobodom, who makes a regular visit at the Janesville Police station, came once too often to suit Chief of Police Champion, and he was arraigned in court on the charge of vagrancy. Alberts, on his way to the vagrants' lodging place, stopped in front of the city hall, in plain view of the police station, and started to beg from a pedestrian. He was given ninety days by Judge Maxfield as a thirty day term, given him eight months ago, was not effective in correcting his transient habits.

--Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, February 24, 1915, page 2.




BUMS MAKE LIFE MISERABLE FOR CITIZENS

Racine is infested by a large number of worthless vags and bums. They seek shelter at the Wisconsin street tramp house at night and during the day time make life miserable for citizens. Rear doors are visited by these men and they demand food. When refused insulting language is generally used and often threats are made. Sometimes two and three of them hang around dark corners and accost people, begging nickels and when it is given they "hike" for a saloon. Often they are arrested and taken into court and ordered out of the city, but generally the gang is back in a short time. Solitary confinement of terms from three to five days with bread and water diet is being tried, but that does not seem to chase the fellows away. It has often been suggested that a workhouse might be a good thing.

--The Racine Journal-News, Racine, Wisconsin, March 4, 1915, page 12.




From column: Happenings in Our City

Vags In Court -- John King and Mike Reed, two vags, were arrested last night and in the municipal court this morning each was sentenced to jail for five days, solitary confinement on a diet of bread and water.

--The Racine Journal-News, Racine, Wisconsin, March 22, 1915, page 5.




From a longer article on sports

Signs of spring are evident and plentiful but few have elected to shed the winter clothing for fear the weather man would turn freakish and do the unexpected. There are plenty of geese and ducks going north and the Honk! Honk! of the northern ganders have been heard frequently during the night and early morning. Nearly everyone has seen the first robin of the season -- and now the "spring dopers" are looking for other spring harbingers. The police will tell you that warm weather is surely here, for the clan of Hobodom has shed their winter collection of clothing and do not come to the station in great numbers for a "flop" or night's lodging. Hundreds of the transients have passed through Janesville and all declare "they are on their way to Baraboo to join a circus." The Ringling Brothers would have enough "razorbacks" for three shows if all the tramps and "vags" that have stopped off in Janesville really go to Baraboo.

--Janesville Daily Gazette, Janesville, Wisconsin, March 25, 1915, page 3.

Vast Army of Weary Willies Find Their Way To Racine

Racine, Wisconsin, 1915--

Members of the police department agree that just now a larger number of vagrants and tramps infest the city than was ever known before. They come from Chicago, Milwaukee and other cities and pretend that they are in search of employment, but the majority of them would not work "on a bet." These fellows seek shelter at the Wisconsin street tramp house and the hard luck stories told would fill a big book. Usually they claim to have a wife and children in some distant city suffering for the want of the necessities of life, while they are out seeking something to do. Of course they always walk into town, when the truth is they steal rides on freight or passenger trains.

Some nights as high as forty can be seen sleeping on the plank beds in the Wisconsin street abode. When released in the morning the majority hike for the back doors of homes and beg for breakfast. They tell housekeepers that they have not had a morsel to eat for from twenty-four to forty-eight hours and are fast starving to death. Usually a warm breakfast is served and a nice little paper of food put up for lunch while they are traveling the highways looking for a job.

Only yesterday morning a citizen offered to pay not less than five strong and able bodied fellows 25 cents an hour to shovel snow. Two of the men took shovels and after starting in quit before the sidewalk was half cleaned. The other three complained that they were ill and unable to do such hard work.

On the other hand, many men who call at the police office for shelter are unfortunate and only too willing to work and to do anything to earn an honest living. It is this class of fellows who suffer on account of the actions of the disreputable and tricky vags. It should be a stone pile or workhouse for the dishonest crowd and kindness and help to the worthy -- but discrimination is hard work.

Although Judge Smieding sentences these unworthy tramps to the county jail for from three to five days' solitary confinement, they seem to come back every week or two and often flatly deny that they have ever been arrested before.

On Main and Sixth streets these fellows haunt the dark doorways; they linger close to some of the churches on Sunday morning and beg for nickels and dimes, and, if successful, nine out of ten of them get into a sample room as fast as possible and call for liquor. It is seldom that one of them spends the money for food.

Chicago, Milwaukee, and other cities have ruled against the imported tramp, that is, the tramp and vag who is placed on a train and shipped from other towns.

There is no doubt but that a good per cent of the human wrecks who come here are chased from other cities, in fact placed on trains and sent out of town in order to get rid of them.

More than one-half of the robberies in boarding houses and farm residences are committed by this class of men. They sneak in, steal a suit of clothing or any other article of value, get away, travel to another city and do the same thing.

--The Racine Journal-News, Racine, Wisconsin, February 2, 1915, page 1.

The Trouble With Vagrants

Racine and LaCrosse, Wisconsin, 1915--

From Police Blotter

Joe Davis and Joe King, strangers, regular vags, appeared at the corner of Sixth street and Grand avenue on Saturday night. They held up every pedestrian who came along and demanded money. Both were locked up at the police station.

--The Racine Journal-News, Racine, Wisconsin, January 11, 1915, page 6.



Happenings in Our City

Vags Arrested -- Joe Davis and Dave Carr, two vags, appeared in front of the Holy Name church Sunday and commenced begging from people. They were arrested. Each was sentenced to jail this morning for three days' solitary confinement.

--The Racine Journal-News, Racine, Wisconsin, January 25, 1915, page 5.



Man Freezes His Feet

The first case of a jail sentence for having frozen feet took place today, when Judge Brindley sentenced Frank Weltemut, La Crosse, to thirty days in county jail. The formal charge was vagrancy.

--The La Crosse Tribune, La Crosse, Wisconsin, February 1, 1915, page 6.