The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-11-22
A REMARKABLE CASE.
IA Innocent hoy Charges Himself with
Crime-A Puzsie 10 hr Solved.

character on the part OF two young
scholars which puzzles the astute aud
observing teachers. Tho sack OF n
little girl was ono day, II vas supposed,
taken from the cloak room. The princi-
pal went into the lower department and
inquired il any OF the scholars had seen
it. Several hands went up; on inquiry,
however, it was found that none Of the
scholars could trace it beyond tho cloak
room; but one little fellow, six years OF
age, who had raised his hand, ut first
said lie knew where it was, and then,
commencing to cry, said he had never
seen it and knew nothing about it. Go
ing into tho apartment above, tho prin-
cipal made the same inquiry. No one
Ind seen the sack, but n Lrother OF tho
little six-year-old seemed to feel uneasy
Mt the question, and evinced some emo
ton. He was eight years old. The
teacher, seeing whAt he conceived to be
evidence OF knowledge in regard to the
sack on the part OF the two little broth
ers, allied out tho eldest one and asked
him where the sack was. At first he
denied any knowledge in regard to it,
but the principal alquestioning him mildly
and kindly, the little fellow finally said
that lie took the sack, but he declined to
tell where it WIS. The principal visited
the boys parents, and in the presence OF
the boys stated whAt had happened.
Tho parents ut once directed tho boys
to tell frankly and fully NIL they knew
about the suck. The Oldest one said
that, on leaving school, he took the sack,
put it under his overcoat, and started for
his home; that on the way another boy
snatched it from him and ran of with
it. His little brother said he saw the
boy snatch AWAY the sack. Neither
could identify the boy. When it was
suggested that the Oldest boys overcoat
was SO small that ho could not get n
sack under it, he said: 81 guess n girl
rolled it up into very small wHd and
put it under there" On inquiry it be-
came evident that no such snatching in-
cident had occurred.
The case had now become interesting,
and q policeman was sent to interview
the oight-year-old boy, who had all the
time been quite calm and self posse sed,
though contradictory in his stories. The
policeman interviewed the boy at the
schoolhouse. The boy told him that he
took the suck, and had hidden it in W.
cant lot between two stumps, where ho
covered it with dry leaves. The police
man requested the boy to go with him to
the place OF concealment, and he readily
He led the policeman, not
toward vacant lot, but into street Of
dwelling houses. The policeman asked
the boy il this was the right direction to
tho stumps, and he said it WIS. But
the surroundings did not appear right,
and the policeman again inquired
" You are not decciving me, arc yon ?
You are not leading me to your homer =
tho policeman not knowing where he
lived. Tho boy coolly replied "0h,
no this is the right way ; I'll show you
the stumps;" and in moment more the
little fellow lodged into his own house,
leaving tho policeman out in tho cold.
Finally the boys mother permitted the
policeman to take him over to fire en-
ginc house to see il he could get from
him the true story Of this affair. The
boy went along without fear or emotion.
He finally took the policeman into q lot,
showed him two stumps near together,
and said: "There is the place where |
hid the Sack" But there was no evi-
dence that any sack Ind been hidden
there it did not appear at oil like n
place OF concealment; aud the boys
story being contradictory, the policeman
took him to the engine house and shut
him into n room, asking him how he
liked thatl The boy mildly replied !:
~ rather like this" Leaving him there
for n time it was found OH opening the
door that he had lnin himself down and
gone to sleepl The policeman then
took him to the station.housc, put him
in n dark cell and, partly closing the
door, said he must tell truly where the
sack was or he would shut him in. The
boy then utterly refused TO tell him any,
thing more. The policeman then asked
him slow do you like this place I"
The boy replied I like it well enough" ;"
and did not appear to be at all disturbed
Mt the prospect Of gloomy confinement.
The policeman shut the door, and then
inquired "How do you like it now \"
The boy replied: 81 like this pretty
well it's n pretty good place." The
policeman was astounded to find this
utter indifference and composure on tue
part OF n boy Of eight years, when con-
fined in n dark cell that had so often
subdued hardened men. Hc said to the
boy: "1f you hear any rats in the cell
you must call to me loudly and I'll come
and drive them Off" "If I hear any
rats" quietly replied the boy, "rll let
you know !" and there tho little fellow
remained through the afternoon, with
out whimper or complaint.
At tho approach Of evening he was
taken ont and appeared no more alarmed
or disturbed than il he Ind been in the
parlor OF his home. He was sent to his
parents; and policeman, teacher and
parents were puzzled over this strange
case. But now comes the most singular
part of this remarkable story. The next
day the suck was found and the circum-
stances attending it were such as to
render it impossible for the little boy
accused, or his brother, to have had any
thing to do with it, or even to have seen
it! And this settled fact throws a still
greater mystery around tho stories Of the
two little brothers, and especially the
action OF the Oldest one. He was not
treated larshly by the principal, who
mildly and kindly attempted to impress
upon him tho duty Of telling the truth
in regard to the sack. The only harsh
treatment he received was when he was
shut I'm op1 fhiu annnn1 IN pnka M