The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-05-08
FLASH LITERATURE.
What Led Young Gay to Crime.


Yesterdays Boston Globe, commenting up
on the theft of 800 by young Gay from his
Boston employers and his arrest in this city,
says:
Young Gay, who is fourteen years old, and
who resided with his father and sister on Win
instrument street, Chelsea, was empl Dyed by
the firm as an errand boy and during his spare
moments feasted his mental stomach on such
dainties as BOLD Billy Blood-curdler, the San
gum ry Scout of the Sierras,'' Daredevil
Dick, the Demon of the Desert" and such
weekly papers as "Our Boys and similar
scalp-raising papers, whose annals detail the
slaughter of scores OF Indians by boys who
should be either at home or at school. The
firm, it may be said consists OF two orgarliza-
tions, one being Stone & Downer, whose occu-
patton has been given, and the other Downer
& Company, bankers and brokers, and the ac-
counts of both are kept entirely separate, the
bulk of the funds being kept in steel chest
within the safe. Owing to tine lateness of the
hour at which the custom house business of
Stone & Downer is finished, a tin box is de-
posted between the inner and outer rooms of
the vault for the reception of such money and
documents as are brought to the office by the
clerks. The key of the box is deposited in a
drawer, which Is under the eye of some en-
ploye. The boy, who was trusted and was
supposed to be not over-sharp, watched his
chance, it is said secured the key, unlocked
the box, distracted the money, locked the box
retained the key and departed as if nothing
unusual had occurred. the clerks being una
ware of the robbery did not discover it unit il
the next morning, when the lock of the box
was forced. True to the teaching of
the trashy publications., young Gay
hied TO the store of Messrs. George S.Saunders
& Co., corner of Cornhll and Washington
street, aud purchased two revolvers at d cost of
81, a camp-knife for 81 and a dirk for 81
TIE clerk, Mr.. George E. Saunders says that
the boy told plausible story about his father S
going west, and of his need of the weapons.
Mr.. Saunders, the proprietor, says that he has
repeatedly instructed his clerks not to sell such
implements OF warfare to minors, and that he
himself has always refused to deliver them to
boys. One of the employees of Messrs. Stone
&sDowner, who was ignorant of the peculation,
met Gay last Wednesday morning at $50
o'clock, near the store of Saunders & Co.. with
a shirt sticking out of paper which envelop-
ed a bundle and good naturally told him of
the fact. Gay replied in monchalant man
ner, and entered the store. This was the last
seen or heard of him until the firm heard of
his arrest in Portland, and of his disgorging
$3.50 1t is supposed that Gay intended to go
west to fight the artful and active Aborgines,
and that he invested the unaccounted money
in hunting and camping outfit. He was not
known to have any vices beyond that of smok-
ing cigarettes, and is spoken of as being very
reticent sbut sharp. A gentleman, who en-
gagged in casual conversation with him, SAYS
that he was surprised to learn that Gray knew
more about the business of the firm, the ar
rival and departure of steamers, the cost of
forwarding, ETC., than an ordinary Office boy
would be supposed to. Gays father is a cutter
grief at his sons crime. The boys mother is
dead