Martin Piniak

Description: Sue Shirleys transcribed personal account of Martin Piniak. According to Shirley, Martin Piniak lives under a bridge in East Chicago, Indiana. He lives there because he feels guilty about the death of his bride-to-be who was killed in a car accident. Shirley also states that Piniak once jumped in the Little Calumet River and was arrested. He jumped in becasue he wanted to be arrested in order to get a hot meal and a bath. After that incident, police started collecting Piniak at each holiday to feed him and let him take a bath.
Origin: 1972-01-01
Source: http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/folklore/id/1320
Collection: Indiana State University Folklore Archives
Subjects: Tramps
Bridges
Homeless persons
Folklore

Further information on this record can be found at its source.