Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-11-19
JUVENILE GROUlS.
SCme Boston Street Arabs Keen
a C0mrade
IN A SKELETON FILLED sox.
One of the GhastIy Results of Reading That
Miserable and Degrading Cheap
Literature.
DIME NOVEL YATES.

U VI NOV { GR A YATES.
BOSroN, November lS.-At the extreme
end OF the RoXbury district, a mile from
any human habitation, there is on Walter
street small cemetery, which, for many
years has been closed up. Most of the peo-
pie buried there were inferred during the
latter part of the last century, and since
then there has been an abundant growth
of Vegetation over the whole place, so that it
is difficult for stranger in the neighbor-
hoo to find the a&cient city of the dead
even after its location has been learned
The trees and shrubs hide from view the
few old headstones that are lett theIe, and
person might wander through the deserted
spot without knowing that it was GENE
tery. There are two large vaults made Of
brick, the walls being three bricks deep
and covered over with earth. There is noth
iup about them that will show who was laid
at rest there or when, but probably the
doors have rot been opened at any time
since 1900. Secluded and lonesome as the
spot is, some boys who are believed to be
residents of the north end Of the city, ap-
pear to have pretty we'll explored it, and
one of the vaults has been for them a favor
ite resort
AnOhicer
ol the Jamaica Plains Station is following
up lot OF juvenile Jaw breakers e%r.y yes
'erday came acros the vault On one side
oi it the earth and shrubs had been torn
away, and the old masonry had been picked
out so that a hole about three feet across
had been made in the hall about six feet up
from the bottom. 1t was so well concealed
by the brush that it would moi have been
noticed had the officer not observed trail
which led him to it. he did moi examine
the vault very close, for as soon as he put
his head in the hole he kept out so much
light that scarcely anything was visible,
A Good Deal OF Trouble.
The matter was reported to the Board o;
Health and Yesterday Inspector Hicks went
out 10 investigate. He hap good deal Of
rIouble 10 find the place and alter he got in
% the cemetery he heard faint cries that
seemed to come from the ground about 200
Yards off lie traced them, and as he came
nearer the cries were stronger and more pit
inul. At length he reached the vault he had
been in search OF, and in it was boy about
ten Years of age AS he climbed up to the
opening the little fellow ceased his cries
and crouched down into corner Of the
TLe oi;ccr o.lIcU 70 hlm in q reaSSuring
tone and the boy then crept along the floor
otthe vault uutil he cot directly under the
cpening. His condition was ptltul, indeed
TO behold, and the officer hardly knew
whether 10 regard him as insane or as some
kind of wild animal. He would not
sneak an intelligent sentence, but let forth
the most dreadful howls, now and then stop
ping 10 gasp as if he were about to expire
Hicks was afraid to go down into the tomb,
Tor fear he could not get out again; but after
talking 10 the youngster through the hole
Tor long time he succeeded IN pacltplng
him until he got broken limb OF tree,
and this he put in for the lad to climb up
on. He seemed too weak to be equal to the
emergency, but at length he summoned up
all his strength and made successful effort
Talkec Little.
After resting and looking about hin for
a while he talked little and told his res
cuer his remarkable story. He said he nad
no home, and lived mostly in the working
boys lodge. The prsvious afternoon ne
met lot Of North End sttet AraDe ukc
himself and they told him they were going
70 give up blacking boots and selling pa
,.crs TO become bandits. They relatOd to
him some blood anI thudder stories, and
old him thew hadA cave Of thnir own and
ould soon terrorize the whole country.
2 hey urged them 10 join them and become
{. nous.
He acred 20 do so and they led him 10 the
vault described. One went of and brought
an old ladder and they all descended into
=, ,omb bv il. When the victim got
down and saw pieces Of collins on the
shelves ani about the floor, with skulls ana
Lopcs he was nearly frightened to death.
His companions humored him for while
and offered him drink out ofa flask. lie
refused it and they forced it down his
throat; then they knocked him from one
end of the vault to the other. In spite OF
this treatment he soon began to feel sleepy
and crept away in corner and Iald down
Let Him starve:
He remembered nothing more until he
heard. or thought be heard voice saying
Let him starvel It's kids like him that S
ruinirr us A voice outside said, Cheese
it" and then all was quiet. He rubbed his
eyes and listened. but only the cracking
Of brush some distance off could be heard
II was dusk, and he made his way to the
oneninr. but there was no ladder, and when
he realized his position, he rent the air with
aponizing cries for Help" He thought
the skeletons we're clustering around him
and rrasping for his hair with their heavy
hands. 1t became pitchy dark, but every
horrible thing he saw when he entered was
more plaiuy visible to him in the dark.
Insects.
BATS or insects occasionally made noise
and be would start and yell murder until
bis voice gave out. lie rolled on the li1oT
in his agony, and the Precipitation greyTG;oIa
on his body. He hoped then he was dying;
but there was no such good luck. ne "ouIu
have hay ~ attempted to kin himself but rt the
skeletons made him afraid 10 try 1t: mus
his suffering continued until his cries ri,
brought the Inspector to his assistance, Inc ne
officer believed he was crazy at hrst' ou' ne
Soon recovered Afe' getting out he ac,
Somnaricd CT him to The road, and when the
lad saw il he bcdaded of like deer in the
S;rcct;on of itc cit, and never turned to
look hack OK the time he was IN vlew
The ipTector found broken bottles, some
cards ald pages OF dims novel literature
ono,g the bores and broken collins when
s,r.ged the floor of the vanIt and 1t looked
sci the recent occupants had been on
grand spree He at once employed mason
TO brick the vault up securely so ih@t II WI viii
! ly tho yaDlAlS. The