The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-05
KILLED BY HIS PLAYMATE.
a o-YEAR-oLD 20 sTABBED AT
A FOOTBALL CANE.

Peter Freon Played Roughly and . right
Resulted with Edward NeGownu-wnte
MeGownp Threw Gravel In Frees's Eyes
Then Frees Was Hidden ny Hts Mother
In q row growing our of n football game
which was .played..in.a vacant.lot at Amster-
dam avenue and l31st street yesterday after
noon. Willie MoGown, q nine-year-old boy,
was killed by HE playmate, Peter Frees, IL
years old. who lives with his widowed mother
at 1467 Amsterdam avenue. The boys were.
both pupils of School 43, at 129th
street and Amsterdam avenue. and It was
their custom to play every afternoon after
school hours In the vacant lot in which the
murder occurred.
Willie and Peter, together with McGown's
brother Edward, Edward Bugollow, 1. years
old, and Charley Coulton, 10 years old. went
to the lot Immediately after the afternoon ses-
sion yesterday. One of the boys had q foot
ball. and some Of the lads were kicking 1t
about the field and going through the usual
tactics OF a practice game. Finally Frees got
into q row with Edward McGown. because.
as McGowu averred. Frees jumped on him
too hard when he was down with the ball.
McGown struck.Frees, and the latter. retorted
by punching McGown in the face. The boys
clinched. and In the scrap that followed Nc
Gown was rapidly getting the worst Of 1t.
when his brother Willie took a hand in tho
fray. Gathering up q handful Of sand and
gravel. he ran to the fighters and hurled It into
the eyes Of Frees. The assault was totally un-
expected. and Frees howled with pain. After
q while he dug sufficient of the sand out Of
his eyes to look about him.
When he saw Willie standing by his broth
err. he drew a penknire. and opening the
largest blade. he made. e rush for the boy.
Willie ran. with Frees In hot pursuit. Just
before they reached the fence line Frees over
took the smaller boy. and grabbing him by
the shoulder, he whirled him around and
plunged the knife into his left side. With .
groan young McGown sank to the ground.
| When young Frees realized what he had done,
he was panic stricken. but before the other
boys recovered from their fright. he disap-
peared down Amsterdam avenue.
Manhattan Hospital. and told the clerk in
murdered by Frees. u Dr.. Iewaid and two at
tendante ran back. With him. When they
ttsns attenaants picked him up and care
ried him to the hos oital. where IL was found
that the knit. had penetrated the flesh close
nfteen minutes after Frees stabbed him..
and d t old his MsH mother s | what AHHns e i haS do nna n &rs,
Frees became hysterical, and her lamentations
Finally she became quiet. and said che was
going to give her son up to the police. She
S IhsnfS hastily left the aai house n.sv With her SON. They
boarded a south-bound Amsterdam, avenue
cable car, and none OF the neighbors has
seen them since. Mrs. Frees did not go to the
station house. and it is thought that she took
the boy to some relative in the lower part of
the city. with tho idea of hiding him from
the police.
The murder was reported to the police OF
the West 125th street station by William Nc
Gown. tho father Of the dead boy. who lives
at 1889 Amsterdam avenue. Roundsman Nc
Keen and a half dozen policemen were de-
tailed on the case. but they found no trace of
Mrs. Frees and her son.
Young Frees. 1t is said, 10 u mfld-tsmDorcd
boy who rarely got into trouble with any of
his companions. IL Is thought that the sand
in his eyes caused him such intense pain that
he was not aware.of what he WAS doing when
he stabbed young McGOwn.