Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-08
HOMELESS n ALONE.
BOYS Mother Lost In St. Louis Cyclone
Father Among Missins.

Ashbury Park. n. j.. June while
Van Bergen has lost all trace or his
Parents. who brought him here, last
mother was killed by the recent cyclone
in ST.. Louis. which DESTROYED her nome.
yoing Van Bergen is the non OF X.
Van Bergen, the commissione 10 9aR pan
The lad says his fathers home ~ IN
Tokyo, Japan, where for a long tune ne
has been "a special war ior
Mr.. Van Bergen, with his lZ-years-oid
son. engaged rooms at the Ward villa.
No, Jl2 First avenue. for a rev days, on
April q. He selected me Des' nr 'hs, >"
Mr.. Van Bergen made daily trips TO ana
from New York until Wednesday, May y.
when he went to New YORK ana mas no.
been seen since. He sent word TO MS
son the following day that he would re-
turn. but since that time nothing, mas
been heard from him. The boy. who Is
bright for his age, has cried more thah
once for his father.
Although MIR. Van Bergen owes Mrs.
Peterson. of the Ward villa, qufte q sum
of money for board. she says that Unless
parents. she will turn him over TO the
police authorities. or else send him 10 81.
Louis, whence he came Mrs: peterson
says that she VIII be compelled 10 sen
Mr.. Van Bergcn's typewriter and other
material left in order to secure her board
money.
In taking with tIf niue hoy dDDut iiN
| parents. he said that he knew nothing OF
heir whereabouts My father promised
me that he would come back on that
| Wednesday night. as usual, but he did
not come home. n since that time ne
| sent me a little money by postal tele-
graph but not "A word of any kind.
My mother, Mrs. f. A. Warner. whom
| | left at St. Loui just before the cyclone
which killed so many people. / near has
| also been killed. | saw q picture in the
paper. and ! saw the building where We
| lived as one of the many wrecked. This
| was three blocks from the wrecked de-
pot. My mother wrote to me often before
The cyclone. but since then Mrs. Peterson,
| who has been go kind 10 me- has sent sew
| eral kilograms. but | got no answers
| Whether my father and mother are both
| dead Is a mystery 70 me
Il don't know why they left me here
| alone. ! worry myself to death wonder
| ing whether | really have q mother or
| father alive or not. ! often heard my
father speak OF a store IN Ne" fork in
| which he said he had an interest. 1t Is a
| store where they keep All kinds Of Japan
| publications. and he might be found
| there. ! went TO New YORK the other day
| alone. ana. knowing that he wrote about
the war from Japan for some OF the
| daily papers. | visited them all. but
faside from the New York Herald. they re-
fused to help me find my father. ! re-
| turned home the same night without
learning any news
Mrs. Peterson IS taking the best Of care
Of the boy. and says that while the board
bin ~ still growing. larger she viii be
Obliged TO part with him in a few days.
Al the Morton house ] was told that
II. Van Bergen had arrived there on May
-. but left tho following morning With
out stating where ne was going. n letter
for Mr.. Van Bergen. addressed III q hoy
ish handwriting, arrived at the hotel on
June :. buf had not been called for. No
one about the hotel remembers Mr.. Van
Eereens appearance.