The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless ManAnderson, Nels
General
The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless Man
Anderson, Nels
Chicago (Ill.) -- Social conditions; Tramps
16. Wingy Train rider who lost one or both arms
17. Mitts Train rider who lost one or both hands
18. Righty Train rider who lost right arm and leg
19. Lefty Train rider who lost left arm and leg
20. Halfy Train rider who lost both legs below knee
21. Straight Crip Actually crippled or otherwise afflicted
22. Phoney Crip Self-mutilated or simulating a deformity
23. Pokey Stiff Subsisting on handouts solely
24. Phoney Stiff Disposing of fraudulent jewelry
25. Proper Stiff Considered manual toil the acme of
disgrace
26. Gink or Gandy Stiff Occasionally labored, a day or two at the
most
27. Alkee Stiff }
} Confirmed consumers of alcohol
28. White Line Stiff}
29. Rummy Stiff Deranged intellect by habitual use of raw
rum
30. Bundle Stiff }
} Carried bedding
31. Blanket Stiff}
32. Chronicker Hoboed with cooking utensils
33. Stew Bum }
}
34. Ding Bat }
}
35. Fuzzy Tail } The dregs of vagrantdom
}
36. Grease Tail }
}
37. Jungle Buzzard}
38. Shine or Dingy Colored vagabond
39. Gay Cat Employed as scout by criminal tramps
40. Dino or Dynamiter Sponged food of fellow hobos
41. Yegg Roving desperado
42. Gun Moll A dangerous woman tramp
43. Hay Bag A female stew bum
44. Jocker Taught minors to beg and crook
45. Road Kid or Preshun Boy held in bondage by jocker
46. Punk Boy discarded by jocker
47. Gonsil Youth not yet adopted by jocker
The beggar is one who stands in one place. He supplicates help
by appealing to the pity of the passers-by. The moocher is an
individual who is somewhat more mobile than the beggar. He moves
about, going to the houses and asking for food, clothing, and
even money, if he can get it. The panhandler is a beggar of a more
courageous type. He hails men on the street and asks for money.
He does not fawn nor whine nor strive to arouse pity. Dr. Reitman
says: “The only difference between a moocher and a panhandler is
that the moocher goes to the back door while the panhandler goes to
the front door.”
The beggar types may also be divided into the able-bodied and the
non-able-bodied. The non-able-bodied beggars are more numerous in
the cities. They are forced, because of their handicaps, to remain
where the greatest number of people are. Some handicapped beggars,
however, are able to travel with marvelous speed over the country.
These non-able-bodied types go by different names according to
their afflictions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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