New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-17
From ONO IN 4 FREIGHT CAR.
NEARLY FROZEN AND STARVED TO DEATH

NEAhII GhOLEN AND GlAkN Ell ~ UEA H.
YOUTH LOCKED IN Al DAYrON-soME ONE AT
COLUMBUS REFUSED TO OPEN THE CAR.
It humble home that William Rutherford had
upon little farm at Londonderry, o., but il was
where he had toed to Iase his family and give them
such comfort and education as his slender purse
afforded. He took special pride in his eldest son
William, who fine bright boy and gave early
promise of making his mark. The old man tre 1 to
make everything pleas ant and to raise his children up
TO do right and be honest But as William grew mp to
early manhood and the stories of the wonders of the
world outside of the little hamlet where bis lite had
been spent brought TO his notice by occasional
traveller in Londonderry and in the papers, among
which were many tales of the adventures of boys, he
los5 his affection for the hr mble home of his father
He decided finally to shake the Cust of Londonderry
from his feet lie had just passed his nineteenth birth
day when he bade hi old home goodby and neglected
to tell any ole where ie was going. He saw consid-
erable OF the world. lie had little money with him,
that lasted only few weeks. He was economical
boy, and managed by riding upon wagons with farmers
and walking to get many miles from Londonderry
before his money was gone. Then he had to depend
upon the charity of the people he in contact with
tor food and shelter. He got situations in several
stores but being without business experience he was
not able TO keep them. Through the summer he
worked for farmers in different placs =. lie had to
work so hard that he came to the conclusion that
Londonderry was pretty good place after ALL Since
winter set in William has had q hard struggle tor
existence. The kind of places that were open for him
TO sleep in during warm weather all closed and
there little work that he could do for his food lie
was scantily clothed and on many nights be kept him
self from freezing by walking all the time deserted
highway er in the shelter OF buildings.
He was sick and worn out when he applied to farmer
Moses Gilman, at Bainbrdge Ross County, Ohio for
work about six weeks ago. The farmer took pity on
the boy and though ere httc TO do he kept him
for three weeks, and thon told him that he had 10
further for him. He left the farmers house 10 CO.
he knew not whittier. While in despair aud thinking
about the hard time he having and OF suicide the
httlo humble home at Londonderry came in a comfort
ing way To his mind and forgetting his pride that had
kept him away long he started with courage tor hs
fathers house, some two hundred miles away There
nothing but hardship staring him in the face the
journey and he suffered greatly from exposure In
about two weeks or on Friday last he got TO Dayton
Then from the reports ne heard of the condition OF tho
roads, he determined that he could not walk any
longer and made up his mind 10 steal ride 20
Columbus freight train. He found a car door
partly open. IL was about nightfall and he sealthy
entered the aud gong TO one corner of IL he lay
down upon q floor and in n few moments was sound
asleep. lie awakened by something being
showered in upon him. but did not stir He found that
the being loaded with corn, and after it
partly filled the door closed and locked. The air
was intensely cold and he kept awake by walking
across little vacant spot in the car, until the an
reached Columbus. Then he shouted. kicked aud
pounded the ear door until ~ about two hours the
attention of some one the outside attracted.
Whoever it told him that tine ear sealed and
until the journeys end. Where this the boy could
not lind OF {.
The train started in little while. The wind blew
strongly through the cracks In the where the boy
shivcTCd. He was hungry. having eaten nothing for
wenty -four hours He tried Ia the but II
So ard that he could crack il with hs teeth. He
tried 10 warm himself hy burrowing into the corn and
covering himself with It, but the pressed 40
ard into his flesh that he could not bear II aud got ont
into the vacant place again and began TO walk The
air grew colder ana the wind whistled louder The
boy struggled along for bours Then he lost all
of cold and the air seemed TO have become balmy and
warm. pleasant glow came slowly over his body |
and he seemed 10 have rc6ained strength !
aud 10 he walking rapidly, his legs gave out and he fell
10 the floor and in second had forgotten every
thing. He had become bcnumbcd by the cold and his |
body completely exhausted. When he awoke |
from y sleep that filed with pleasant dreams he |
was still and could not move. Ii dark still IL |
seemed weeks before the sunshine through tho |
tracks he car became little warmer and the boy |
hawed ont enough to be- able 10 stand.
This process of freezing and thawng kept up |
lItil the train arrived ye-tc dav morning In the New
ork Central freight yard in this city and the suffer
ngs of the boy alone in the terrible. When |
he opened at SIXty-bfthst. and Twclfth-aye.
he boy groaning pteously. He helped ont |
If the n store at seventy -rccGndrt. There an
,ficcr summoned an ambulance and the sufferer
aiken tO the Ninety ninth street Hospital. His condi-
terrible. Both his feet frozen and will
probably be amputated. They greatly swollen
md the pam was severe when he was brought into
yarm room that hc placed in the summer that
still up IN the yard Ills pale face was haggard aud
lrawn aud his whole body sore. he full extent
II his injuries could not be ascerainrd until he Il |
hawed out His desire for food gone and he had
n idea that he would be better of dead than aiiyc