The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-03
A MANIA FOR TRAVELLING.
Possessed by a 12-YearOld Chicago
Youth Now Living in San Francisco.

4OuGn NOW III 5du rFdnClSCOs
From the NeU York Star.
SAN Francisco, July 3l.-Joe Friend,
known to the police of several cities as the
hoy traveller" is at present stopping here.
How long he will remain is a matter of
conjecture. He has secured work with an
old woman who keeps a candy shop on
Kearney street. The boys parents reside
in Chicago, but they are unable to keep the
boy at home, and in the past five years he
has wandered over thousands of miles of
country.
Little Joe's last trip has been on an ex-
tensive scale. Some time In August, 1889,
he left home, and has been travelling ever
since. He had been brought back from
Milwaukee, and remained with his parents
just four weeks, when he suddenly disap-
peared, just as he had done many times be-
fore. Nothing was heard of him until
Nov. II, when a telegram reached his
father, who lives at No. 2S4 South Robey
street. The telegram was dated at St.
Thomas, Ont, and read as follows:
John Friend Chicago, H.:
A boy mas been picked up here and says he is
your son. What shall we do with him?
J. B. MoRFoRD.
Mr.. Morford is the division superintend-
ent of the Michigan Central railway. The
father of the boy instantly wired Mr.. Nor
lOTu W SOuQ LIS oOu uOulc, duQ lu6 (OubulHl
traveller was put on train for Chicago
Mr. Morford wrote a kind letter to Joseph
Friend, ST., declining to receive any COM
pensation for what he had done. The
father waited anxiously for his sons arrival,
but he did not come.
Two weeks later the chief of. police at
Detroit telegraphed that be mad discov-
cred homeless youth, but before any word
could be returned the boy had shaken the
dnQt oF nafrOtt from hia thoro
and was off again. Several weeks elapsed
when letter was received from William
Murray, superintendent Of police in New
York city The letter stated the humane
society had been struggling desperately to
take care Of q boy from Chicago who re-
fused to be cared for. In utter defeat,
New York had turned the wanderer loose.
The poStman who came to the Friend
household March IS brought letter post
marked at Tampa, Fla. II was from W. N.
Cowsley, secretary of the Young Mems
Christian Association in that city. Mr..
Cowsley informed Mr.. and Mrs. Friend that
he had picked up their son, aud wanted to
know what to do with him. Before an
answer could be returned by the parents
another letter came from MIR. Cowsley. 1t
was discouraging. The boy had again re-
fused to be cared for, and was headed for
Mobile. April 20 a messenger boy rushed
up the stairs and handed Mrs. Friend dis
patch. 1t read as follows:
SACRAMENTO. CAL, April 90, 1890.
Joseph Friend, Chicago:
Have boy here. What shall I do, Answer
quick. WARREN f. BREW, Chief of Police.
That night Mrs. Friend handed the tele-
gram 70 her husband. who wired to Sacra-
mento the following dispatch, addressed to
Warren F. Brew:
Get boy something honorable to do and
charge expenses to me. JOSEPH FRIEND.
Nothing more was learned of the wan
derer until June 80, when Mrs. Friend re-
ceived letter addressed in the unmistaka-
BILE handwriting of her boy Her tears
moistened the envelope as she broke tho
seal. 1t was sure enough letter from her
son, and he made use of the tenderest terms
in telling her that he was working in a
candy store and earning living. He had
found an old lady who was his friend in
need, and she had given him something to
do. Mrs. Friend answered the letter with
out once referring to her boys hayward
ness. She wrote her letter on the day that
he was Is years old, and asked him to make
it possible to spend his next birthday at
home.
Joseph Friend, the father of the boy is
pressman employed by H o. Shepard on
Monroe street, Chicago The runaway boy
is his only child. His inclination to travel
seems to be uncomfortable, for he began to
wander when scarcely years of age. At
that time he ran away from home, and as it
was his first Office, the city was searched.
Several days later the father received word
that his son was at Turner Junction. He
went there, and found the boy eating break
fest with the station agent. A short
time afterward he went to
Rockford, and was brought back by
constable. While he was between the
ages of and II years he ran away
from home score of times. His favorite
scheme was to enter railroad train and
pick out some benign-looking old gentle
man, whom he would approach and inquire
where he was going On receiving an
answer, the boy would confess that he had
no money, and ask the old gentleman to let
him sit in the same seat until the conductor
passed through the train. In this way the
boy would travel great distances and always
found friends.
Hei quite performer on the piano. and
can invariably get square meal IL he can
find piano. His parents believe he is
growing tired Of his antics and will soon
return home. His father has spent all he
could earn for the last five years in attempt
ing to get the boy home from his numerous
journeys.