Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-13
BOY BURNED AT STAKE
His Comrades Were Playing at
 Being Indians.
THE GAME WAS TOO REALISTIC
Young Barney Was Tied, Wood Piled Around Him, and Then Boy Whom He Had fingered Set Fire to the Pickles cued, Perhaps Too Late, by a Negro.

Around Him, and Then Boy Whom He
 Had fingered Set Fire to the Pickles
 cued, Perhaps Too Late, by Negro.
 CAMDEN, N. J., March l3.-Fifteen or 20 boys, whose ages range from l2 to 15, were playing Indian in South Camden, and as a result of their play one lad is in the hos pital maimed for life, even should his life not pay the penalty of the too realistic per formances of his comrades.
 The vicinity in which the lads were at play is a lonely one, made up of open fields and woods. Among the boys was Charley Barney. aged l3, who lives with his parents at Ills Broadway Fhe boys divided into parties, and an Indian war was soon in progress Two captives were taken, a council of war was held, and it was decid- ed to follow the true Indian custom and torture and burn the captives at the stake.
 Tied to the Stake.
 Frank Eldridge, aged 13, was first tied to the stake Beneath his- feet was a pile of fagots gathered from the woods and SwampS. and. minus the fire and the cop per skins of those taking part, the scene was realistic Eldridge, however, instead of going calmly to the torture and submit ting to the mock death with due cheerful ness, fought. The boys had formed a ring about the captive and began to dance when he lOosened the rope which bound him and rushed away.
 Having escaped, he was free. and when his fellow captive, Charles Barney, was led to the stake Eldridge was among those who assisted in tying the lad By some act Barney angered Eldridse, and the lat ter in d frenzy of rage set fire 10 the fagotS on which the boy stood. Barney cried out in he nj Ina, 1l bp1 at his frantic efforts to get awis'.
 The fire burned slowly at first. but being fed by some pine cones they suddenly fared up. and in a moment the lad at the stake was wrapped ill their fiery embrace. Be fore the others realized his peril Barney s clothing hati caught fire from the wood.
 Left to His Fate.
 The terrible sight of the helpless lad burning to death before their eyes seemed to paralyze the lads, and they stood watch ing him, utterly powerless to move. The thick smoke partly hid him from view, but no one made move to free him. His cries attracted the attention of a coloretl man at work several fields away from where the boys were. He dropped his work and raced across he fields
 When he came in sight of the group and realized wha: was happening, he shouted. This seemed to bring a realization of the terrible consequences home to the boys, and seeing the darky running toward them all turned and ran. The negro sprang over the fence and cut the rope. He then lifted the lad from his place on the burn ing pile. and slipping off his own coat he wrapped it about the lad and smOthered the flames.
 1t was too late, however. as the clothing had been burned to the skin and the flesh was parboiled.
 Rescued by R Negro.
 The negro bore the unconscious boy to a house, and from there the lad was hurried to his own home, while a messenger went for a physician.
 When the clothing was removed, some of the skin adhered to it. The doctors who are attending the boy think he will lose both hands, even should his life be saved.
 The police were notified of the affair and set to work to capture those taking part in it. They could find no trace of any one who could give any information. Finally they were successful in catching Thomas Brown, aged l2 (colored), and John Dee gan, aged If, hiding in the swamp mile from where the burning took place. They told the story of the mornings doings and gave list of those who were present.
 Eldridge was captured later He was too excited to obtain much information from, but the police see no reason to doubt the stories told by the other two prisoners