Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-02-17
A VERY SAD STORY.
Billy Spinks Tells All About His
Larceny and What Led to II.

A SENTINEL reporter called at the Jail
last night, and, through the courtesy OF
Mr.. Fitzmorris, was allowed to interview
Billy Spinks, the boy who is imprisoned
for grand larceny, which he has confessed.
He was at first reluctant to narrate the de-
tails Of his crime, d~reading to have the
news reach his brothers and sisters and his
brother-in-law in California, the latter a
gentleman we'll known here. Being as
sured, however, that there was no dispo-
sition to "burn him up" and being ad-
vised to make q clean breast of it, he said:
Well, then, l guess / may as well tell you
all about it,"
HIS NARRATIVE.
az was thrown out on the world when I
was IS years old. I had to scratch for my
self along the Central Pacific Railroad. I
got in with the worst set OF men in the
world. Still ! am not such a terrible bad
boy. I ! have but few bad habits. I never
drink, never use tobacco in any shape,
and ! have never smoked opium. Other
boys have done as bad as I have,
But THEY HAD FRIENDS
To help them out OF the scrape. I'll never
write to my folks, and / don't want them
to know anything about me. Judge Bon
nifeld. at Winnemueca, took o liking to
me and got me a job as devil In q Para
disc Valley newspaper. but the paper
changed hands and I lost thejob. l worked
in the Office Of the County Clerk, Mr.. Job,
for two years, when he had writing for
me. and tended bar in the hotel when he
did not have any. I
SOLD BOOKS ON SUBSCRIPTION
Lately in Eureka, but I did not make
enough to keep me. I was In debt. at
last, to everybody that would lend me
money. ! got desperate. I could not get
work anywhere. I was to get a job to
wait on the table at Secret Canyon, but
Mr.. Harvey Carpenter, for what reason I
don't know. decided not to take me. /
didn't know what to do. I didn't have
anything to eat, aud, one night more. I
wouldn't have a bed to sleep In. The
night / made that terrible break / was
playing billiards with some fellows, whom
/ knew I could beat. in Clay Simms'. I
am a good billiard player, and /
knew I had no chance to lose.
I don't know what got into me,
but / seemed to be at the end of my rope
and / might as we'll do one thing as an
other. 1t was between - and ! O'Clock,
after the game was over, when nobody was
looking, that / opened the cellar door and
slipped in, shutting the door above me.
l must have waited about an hour, when
they closed the saloon and went away. 1t
was very still but I imagined I heard peo-
pie
K Bov MY HEAD.
/ did not dare to stir for Q long time, but
at last / got bold enough to come out and
break open the till with my knife and steal
the money, about SOS, mostly in $40
pieces. When I got out Of the back door,
with the money in my hands, / was nearly
wild. I ran off and up the hill halt way
to the top, in the snow, thinking I heard
somebody after me all the time. ] got
worn out, though, and then / sneaked
back, coming down the steps behind the
COULDN'T A I
I thought always that somebody must
know / stole the money and was after me.
/ hid the coin under the carpet in my
room, and I didn't dare to touch it for two
| days. Finally l got to feeling so misera-
| BILE I couldn't stay here any longer; so |
took it out and went to Palisade and Win
nemucca."
"what did you do with the money!
asked the reporter.
II tnreW ~ away Al ansWetou. .
| lost q good deal of it gambling. 1t burnt
my hands, and I thought ii would be safer
IL I didn't have a quarter Of it left"
soME REFLECTIONS.
This boy spinks Is 10 years old. He has
a fine head and face, and ne is not a youth
whom you would take to be as depraved Of
his l~arcenous act would indicate. He has
borne q good name, hitherto. in the town
in which he has grown up. His punish
ment we leave. without suggestions. "a
those who have that affair in their hands,
| Were the law such that he could be saved
from State Prison, whence be would go GU
almost certainly to pursue a life OF con
hrmed infamy after association there for
| term with the worst criminals In the coun
try, 1t might be best to punish him other
wise, and possibly bring him back to thu
right path.