~ Urbana Courier Herald ~



WEDNESDAY, July 15, 1914



~CITIZENS UNITE IN WAR ON TRAMPS~

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THREE ARE APPOINTED SPECIAL DEPUTIES


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Form Shotgun squad to protect people living near Hobo roast against further depredations-Have been robbed



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People living in the northeastern part of the city,who have been terrorized and robbed by tramps all summer, have asked permission of the sheriff to carry arms to protect their families and property. Upon investigating and finding conditions near the Hobo Roost were fully as bad as described, Sheriff Davis today appointed three citizens living in that neighborhood as special deputy sheriffs, under a bond of $2000, for a period of three months each, and instructed them to go the limit of the law in a war against the bums. The appointees are: J.R. Craig, B.H. Clark and W.S. Hopkins

FORAGE AMONG NEIGHBORS

Tramps camped in "The Jungles" north of the Big Four shops have practically lived off the neighborhood since early in the summer. They find it easy to escape the regular officers when the latter are called and have persistently raided gardens and henroosts until the neighbors are in despair.The tramps come across the country from the northern yards of the Illinois central, upon arriving in the outskirts of Champaign and learning that that city has a rock pile

MAKE HOBOS WORK
Compulsory labor on the streets of Urbana for tramps would prove just as effective in ridding the community of the pests as Champaigns rock pile.Worthy men on the road in search of work do not mingle with the professional bums and would not be discriminated against by an ordinance providing for such labor. The Associated Charities receive no applications from the regular hobos,who , susecting schemes to put them to work, steer clear of such organizations.The three special deputies appointed by the sheriff have formed a Shotgun squad and are in readiness for a charge on the hobo camp the next time a potato patch or chicken roost is raided.







~ Urbana Courier Herald ~



SATURDAY, NOV 21, 1914



~FIND LIQUOR IN LAMBERTS COUCH~

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POLICE STOP TO RAID JOINT IN SUICIDE HUNT


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Man suspected of having planned to kill self leads officers in resort where large stock of beer is confiscated



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Chief of police Jeffers and officer Gleason made a raid on Porter Lamberts alleged bootlegging joint on south Hutson Street friday evening, Arresting Lambert and confiscating 64 quarts and 62 pints of beer

The raid had been planned for some time, but came off rather prematurely. The chief and Gleason went to Lamberts place in search of a man who, they had reason to believe, was contemplating suicide someone suggested that they might find him at Lamberts and the officers lost no time in getting there. Lambert denied them admission whereupon Jeffers declared that he would swear out a search warrant immediately, They started away, but Lambert, with an apparent change of heart, called them back and asked that the search be conducted

Sixty-two pint bottles of beer were found in the basement. This number, being only two more then considered a half barrel, was not considered conclusive evidence of the illegal sale of liquor. The officers could find nothing of an incriminating nature, but upon returning upstairs they noticed that Lambert had not arisen from the couch upon which he was seated when they went to the basement.Neither did he arise to show his guests to the door. Such impoliteness could not be passed by without a rebuke, so the host was ordered to get up and give the officers a peek into the couch. He remonstrated, but it was of no use. Sixty-four quarts of beer were found hidden in the couch and Lambert was placed under arrest. The patrol wagon was called and the prisoner and his entire stock in trade were hauled to headquarters and locked up, Lambert in the city prison and the beer in the vault.

This morning Lambert pleaded guilty to a violation of a new ordinance that prohibits the possession of intoxicants in quantities as would make it appear that liquor was being sold and was fined $100 and costs by police Magistrate Snyder. He was released upon giving security for that amount.







~ Urbana Courier Herald ~



Friday, Nov 27, 1914



~TRAMPS BATTLE THREE OFFICERS~

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Two Deputies and Policeman beat off Forty Bums


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Fight taken place in " The Jungles" north of the Big Four shops-Many heads cracked before hobos are subdued.



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About 40 tramps put up a fight when officers visited " The Jungles" north of the big four shops this morning in search of goods stolen from B.F Stevensons grocery. And a dozen or more heads were cracked before the gang was subdued.

Deputy Sheriff Edward Ulitach and Chester Davies and police officer Frank Gleason were the men that beat the hobos when they invaded the shack of Barney Wolf, city dog catcher situated in the midst of the hobo stamping grounds.

Barney blocked there way and struck at officer Ulitach. The latter tore one of the dog catchers cheeks nearly off by a blow with his fist and Barney a ploughed a furrow in the ground by sliding down a hill, greasy with dish water on his nose.

Tramps who were lounging about everywhere, inside the shack and out rollied to give battle. Several were knocked down by the fist of the officers only to arise and come right back. Clubs were drawn and the bums went down in droves. Many were game however and kept coming until beaten half into insensibility .

Not a officer drew his gun a fact of which Champaigns exeitable force would do well to take note. The three guardian of the peace whipped to a frazzle a force thirteen times their strength and did it with bare fist and clubs.

After the tramps had been conquered the conquerers herded them together and marched them down the tracks to the city limits. One 200 pound fellow triad to escape by jumping on a moving freight train and officer Gleason gave chase. Seperated from the rest, he jerked the big fellow from the side of the car and the two had a warm row all to themselves.

The tramp charged on Gleason several times but the officer traded blow for blow with his fist. Where he had bruised his knuckles until they hurt,he took his club and fanned his antagenist on both sides of his head.

The hobo finally surrendered and was marched out of town with the rest of the gang.




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Champaigns Daily Gazettes article on the same incident.


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~ Champaign Daily Gazette ~



Friday, Nov 27, 1914



~BARNEY WOLF OF URBANA IN DISGRACE~

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Deputy Sheriff Edward Ulitach and Chester Davies and Officer frank Gleason had a first class Free-for- all fight with Barney Wolf Urbanas offical Dog Catcher and about a dozen hobos at Barneys shack north east of the city. Barney and his hobo friends were having a thanksgiving drunk.

The officers went to Barneys shack to search it for the tobacco stolen from the Stevenson store last night.Barney refuced the addmission and when he picked himself up out of a pile of tin cans he had all the appearance of having been run through a sausage machine

Deputy Ulitach struck him one lick with his fist and that was enough.Officer Gleason laid out two hobos that intended to assist Barney in resisting. Then a big raw boned fellow dared Deputy Ulitach to hit him and he took the dare and the fellow after spinning around like a top collapsed and finally left holding his jaw.

The result was that nothing but the worst kind of filth was found in Barneys shack and all the hobos were run out of the city.



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