Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-08
a FOOLISH YOUTHS PRANK.
master Buekinsham PLAYS VEN Realistic
New York Times.l

Fifteep-ycar-old Master William Buck
ineham lives with his parents at No.
9G4 Gates avenue, Brooklyn, and he
has devoted much Of his time Of late in
eagerly perusing cheap novels. He be-
came so impressed by the deeds OF da-
ring committed by his many heroes,
aad with such thorough contempt for
the Brooklyn police that on Monday
last he determined to launch out into
life Of adventure, and also in some man
her to - fool the police"
Next door to Master Buckingham's
home lives Captain Samuel Falkenberg.
Early on Monday morning the Captain
left home, ON one Of his long voyages.
and his wife accompanied him to his
starting point, leaving their little daugh-
| ter Mamie in charge Of the house. At
500 O'Clock. however, she went to her
school, after following her mothers in
structions, and carefully locking all the
doors and fastening all the windows.
Then came Master Buckingham's OPP
portunity. As soon as little Mamie
was well out Of sight he went to work
on window in the rear basement. His
single tool was piece Of wire hoop, but
he manipulated this instrument in a
truly professional way, and with a skill
worthicf of better cause. Success at
last crowned his efforts. and he had the
intense satisfaction Of raising the win
dow-sash and entering the house.
Master Buckingham then seemed to
be possessed of the most intense desire
to destroy everything. Every room in
the house was visited by the little ma
rauder, and almost every movable object
in the house was thrown down from its
resting-placc or turned upside down on
the floor. The drawers were all pulled
out, and their contents emptied in plies
on the floors. Ornaments, .jewelry,
crockery, silver, and, in fact, every
thing that the boy could get at were
scattered pell-mell ip every direction.
Some of the articles he tied up in small
bundles and pitched out into the hall.
A lot of very valuable jewelry went
thisway. When this mischieyous spirit
had reveled in the disorder he had
created for some hours he left the house
through the window he had opened,
and went over to his fathers house to
await the return Of the Captains
daughter.
The little girl came home at about /
10 IaI
anxiously looking for her from his base
ment window, ran out to meet her, and,
catching her hands, cried, "Oh, Mamie,
I'm so much afraid that burglars have
been through your house. May be they
are there now. But don't be afraid,
little one 4; | will protect you from all
harm" He then ran back to his home.
and, returning few moments later
with a revolver in his hand, told Mamie
to wait while he went in her house to
look for burglars. Mamie became very
much frightened and copiously shed
tears, but Willie reassured her, and
marched boldly into the ransacked
house. He came out in fifteen or
twenty minutes and grayely told the
trembling little girl that burglars had
been there and That everything had been
turned upside down.
The boy then ran to the Broadway
p6licc-station and told his story to De-
toctive James Lenahan, who went back
to the house with him. The astute
officer, from what he saw. came to the
conclusion that the boy had done all the
work, and accordingly arrested the
youthful housebreaker. He then con-
fessed the whole story, and said he did
it ali for fun and to fool the police.
The boy spent the night in cell, but
yesterday morning Justice Massey re-
leased him in the custody of his parents.
Some time ago Willie tried to - fool "
the police by boring holes in his fathers
door, to make people believe that bur
glars had been there, but, unfortunately
for the success of his scheme, he bored |
the holes from the inside.