St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-04-23
Murdered by the Rink.
How Newsboy Won the Championship of
the World and Died from the Strain.
A PATHETIC STORY.


The death of Willie Donovan, the
plucky Elmira On. W boy who won
the first prize at the oller-skating car
nival at the Madison Square garden in
New York last month, is pathetic
enough. 1t also illustrates the need
for preventing cruelty to human ami
mails The lad was newsboy, and
the bootblacks and newsbOys of Ell
mira dubbed their dimes and quarters
so that he might get on to New York
and enter the race. He was picked up
by Tom Davis and "Happy" Jack
Smith, who backed and trained him.
When the carnival closed March 8,
| Willie was taken to the Putnam house
and well cared for. The story is thus
told by Davis
"The poor boy was murdered. He
wasn't allowed to take the rest he
needed to recover from the strain of
his siX-days' feat. | remember him
when first saw him on the first day
of the big rollerskating race. | was
sitting in a box with Il friend, and i
remarked that Donovan looked more
| like Freddy the Blacksmith, than any
one | ever saw. That night man
told me that there was a boy in the
race who would certainly win it if he
got a chance, but that while he was
resting from his work on the track his
cap and shoes and skates had been
stolen. ! asked who it was and DOnO-
van was pointed out to me. When |
questioned the boy he said that he
came from Elmira on the Saturday be-
fore, on a newsboy's pass, apd had eat
en- only one meal since. He declared
that he had nothing in his stomach but
water. | could see that he was starry
ing and | sent for food, which he ate
ravenOusly. | tell you he had been
actually starving. When he was pro-
vided~ proper quarters and skates
he told me would win the race easily.
Wednesday lie made 204 miles in "a
hours and then | made him rest, or he
would have made more. When he had
covered 1902 miles on Saturday night
he went to the judges stand, got his
medal and $500 and walked to the
Putnam house. Jack rubbed him down
and put him to bed. In the morning
he looked we'll and had good appe-
tite. Monday he was in extraordinary
condition for lad who had made rail-
road time for six days.
"Then his father insisted that he
should go to Elmira. | refused to CON
sent, and told him that Willie needed
a weeks absolute rest and that it
would be clear murder to take him on
long journey. He reminded me that
the boy was under age, and that he
was the father. Then | threw up my
hands. Mr.. Donovan didn't seem to
have the right sort of feeling about the
poor fellow, and in spite of all Jack
and could say he made Willie go
L l. a.. l..
on Tuesday morning. That night
when they got there the boy was taken
home and then TO "a big reception in a
rink. He was pushed and hauled and
exposed in every way. 1t was not un-
til B O'Clock i'll the morning that he got
to bed. His father had a little gin
mill and seemed to be anxious to make
all he could, Notwithstanding his sons
need of rest. The next day Willie
was dragged off to an exhibition at
Hornellsville. Jack telegraphed me
that they were doing the boy up. At
ter that he was taken to BinghamtOn
to referee a match. | got this mes
sage from Jack Come on. They |
will kill the boy Sunday | got to Ell |
mira and | was told that Willie was
coming home on gravel-train. When |
| finally saw my poor boy he was lying
on the bed in his fathers hOnse. He |
looked bad and had terrible cough.
''At that time we had matched Willie |
for race with Skinner, the noted |
skater, and the young champion want
ed to come to New York. He begged |
and cried ami that night he and | and |
Jack came to the city. He signed the /
articles for the match with Skinner
and then complained of feeling bad. / |
took him to the Putnam house and |
sent for DIR. Charles 5. Wood, who said
that he had pneumonia and that one
lung was filled up solid. For IA days
and nights Jack and | watched with
the lad Jack slept with him and
never left his side. He pulled through
finally and last Wednesday was the
picture of health. He walked around
the room and had an appetite like a
young bull. consented that he