Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-17
a SHOCKING DEATH.
George PctncIsy. "a Runaway La.
from Virginia City, Killes; by the
Cars near LafEarOp.

From the Virginia schronicle."
Geo. Petnelly, sometimes called .sSnor-
key" was killed on the 9Th instant by fall
ing from the top Of the freight train going
east, near Lathrop. and being run over by
the cars. He was about thirteen years old,
and left his home in this city q fow weeks
ago to see the world with another Virginia
boy named Anglum.
A. w. Blake, Coroner of San joaquin
county, has sen the following extract from
the Stockton Independent to this office in
relation to the sad affair:
sTwo young fellows called at this Office
to-day to give information concerning the
Smokey the Young tramp whose body
was bisected by the cars near San joaquin
bridge on Wednesday. These two fellows
have been or the road and one Of them
is at present following that occupation, but
the other one, a young man evidently
eighteen or twenty years old, says he has
retired from that busincss, conveying the
impression that his retirement il q policy
that he has very recently adopted, not I'M
like the frequent temperance resolutions
adopted by Rip Van Wrinkle, The other boy
seems to be about twelve years old. He
started from Virginia City resolved to see
the sights Of San Francisco, and although
he has become convinced, as he says, that
it was not a very wise move, he is disposed
to continue on and see the sights and then
80 home again. This boy gives his name
as Johnny Aaglum. He has known
Smokey for some years, and used to play
| with him in Virginia City. He knows how
| Smokey got that V shaped scar on his
head. Smokey got the scar down by tho
Ophir. A lot Of boys were there playing,
| when Joe Mnlchahy lifted up one end Of a
board and it fell in some way, the corner
striking 'Snorkey's' head aud breaking the
scalp. 'Snorkey's' real name was George
| Petnelly, and he lived with his mother on
f street. below the woodward, in Virginia
City. His mother has seven other chill
| dren, all younger than Smokey except
his big sister His father left his mother
somewhere, sometime, but the little fellow
did not know where or when. Smokey
went also by the name Of George Wilson,
giving that as his name when on his trav-
els. He had been travelling for more
than a year that our informant knew Of,
| and for sometime was in a gang under the
leadership Of Thread Thread had a
| kind heart in him, and wanted Smokey
to go homo some time ago, and bought
him o suit OF clothes and a pair of boots.
Smokey promised Thread that he
| would go, but instead Of going he went
off with Cheyenne Reds gang.
Cheyenne Red and Thread had a
row about the affair. Smokey went to
| Virginia City with Cheyenne Red the last
time he went home, and that time Johnny
Anglum, our informant. fell in with him,
and together they started below At Boca
they found Hooked nose Dutch and came
down with him. The young fellow who
accompanied Johnny Apglum to our Office
goes by the name Of 'Styx,' and he seemed
10 be a little proud of the name, remarking
that it was the name Of the river that run
through hell He said that he had seen
the worst side OF tramp life and did not
like it, seeming to indicate . similarity be-
tween his course and that Of the river Styx.
He promised to come around and give q
graphic and highly sensational accoun Of
tramp lite."
A Chronicle reporter this afternoon found
Mrs. Petneiiy the unfortunate lads mother,
at TIA e street, n<ar the Ophir works. She
is evidently q Woodworking, industrious
woman, and her little home was neat and
comfortable. He first asked her with refer
cnce to her son. and she stated that he had
left home several weeks ago with Johnny
Anglum, and that she believed him to be
in Sacramento. After . few more ques-
tons she became alarmed. and asked, with
tears in her eyes and with great agitation,
The reporter told her that he had been
badly hurt at Lathrop. His little sister.
aged about eleven years, asked whether he
had been killed, but the reporter could not
take the task upon himself OF breaking the
shocking intelligence SO suddenly. She
was informed Of the fate Of her son about
an hour afterwards.