The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-02-16
WERE JUST BOYS
TWO YOUTHFUL CRUSOES CONE TO
AN IGNOBLE END.
They Started Ont on 8 Career Of
Wild, Romantic Adventure, but
in the Midst OF Their Achieve
ments, are Nabbed by the
Not Romantic Police.

Big drops of penitent tears overhowed
| the yelling eyelids and coursed down the
cheeks of James Stewart, aged IA, and
great sobs choked his utterauce as he told
| in the city prison yesterday how he and
| his partner, John Weisman, aged Is years
had come to be in such sad location.
About seven days ago these young
Jack Jenkins" of runaway proclivities
started out from their respective homes
and established home Of their own on
North Ohio street. James Stewart lived
with his stepfasher on the same street but
fearful of the stinging swish of the des-
cending rod he concocted the scheme with
the ever willing and ready John.
Silently one night, as the silver stars
winked their bright eyes at the rising
moon, these two carried away an old stove
which belonged to the step-father of
James, and set it up in . vacant shanty.
Pipe was found behind hardware store
on Douglas avenue aud coal along the
railroad. All that was lacking to COM
plete their comfort was something to
sleep on.
''Fll tell you" said the ever-ready
James, ''Mrs Baker owes me 10 cents.
! and there is her carpet hanging on the
pump. Let's take that as we pass along. :"
They passed along and the carpet was
gone.
''There is hay; we could get that" No
sooner said than done, and the bed was
good enough for the two truants.
When the morning came they proceeded
to the Salvation Army soup house aud
ordered their breakfast. They told whore
they lived, and pitiful story besides.
Captain Dale and the officers filled up
their bucket with soup every day and gave
them bread to eat.
Wednesday evening they got tired OF
this unromantic way of snoozing along
and marched out to find more thrilling
events. As they passed along 10 front OF
Payne & Andrews grocery store and saw
pail of molasses they decided to see
whether stolen syrup was sweet.
One dive at the bucket when no one was
nigh, scramble into the alley and .
break for the shanty and then the feast.
Honey drip covered their hands and face
aud Salvation bread dipped in stolen
molasses was being devoured at a terrific
rate when the door was darkened by OH
Ger Sutton yesterday afternoon.
With fallen chops aud with dOwncast
eyes they followed the officer to the police
station. where they were put behind cold
and cruel iron bars, and where they would
take anything to eat that they could get.
James Stewart said that his father had
been dead for over ten years, and that his
mother had married again and become
Mrs. Walburn, aud that be was punished
for all tho bad doings of the little Wal
burns, and was cast out into the cold OF
nights.
John Weisman lived with his aunt, of
whose treatment he had nothing to CON-
plain; but John is OF disposition to take
u lark, aud act out the doings OF the Dali
ton gang and wanted to establish den
from which to prowl and be bad robber.
John expects to get out because he was
merely a visitor of James, while James
weeps scalding tears when he thinks of
his punishment for his stepfather has told
him, he says, that if he got in trouble ne
need look to him for no help.
This is the boys first step but it is not
strictly uncommon with boys. They are
both bright looking boys and should they
keep their fingers strictly on what is their
own in the future they may yet make
their mark.