The sun., 1896-10-16
SEAhCh FOR A LOST BOY.
NO TRACE TET FOUND OF THE MISS
ING JOSEPH EDGE.
A Wnir from the Streets OF New York and
Inmate OF the Domin lean Orphnnnge
at Binuveit - Lost While Out In tho
wood, ,vitb 6O o,bsr nov. o.a 4, ti,.tsr

A Wnir from the Streets OF New York aud
an Inmate OF the Dominicnn OrphpnaEe
at Binuveit - Lost While Out In tho
Woods with so Other Boys and n sister.
Little joseph Edge who wandered away from
his companions while on chestnutting expe-
dition to the woods at the foot OF the Ramapo
Mountains, In Blauvelt, on Sept z. has not been
found, and the Dominican Sisters, in whose
home he had lived for three years. have been
forced to believe at last that he Is dead or has
been spirited away by some person who hopes
that II reward will be offered for his return.
Ever since IL was learned that he had not re-
turned with the other boys to tho home n sys-
tematic search for him has been made, but no
trace OF him has been found.
Joseph Edge was an inmate of the Dominican
Orphanage. an institution to which many OF the
foundlings which tho society receives In this
city are sent. He was taken there In the fall of
1893. when he was four years old. from the
asylum maintained by the society In this city.
He had been fonnd on the streets and knew no
hsme nor parents. He was put into the school.
and the Sisters to whom his training was in
trusted soon found that he waa feeble in in
telect and In body. They labored patiently
with him, and in spite of his natural iniirmities
he improved in health from the time he came
under their care. At first he was not strong
enough to take part in the play OF the
children of his own age, but two years spent in
the orphanage made him as strong and healthy
as he could ever hope to be in body. The i'm
provement in his mental condition was not so
marked Something was amiss. and not even
the patient endeavors of his teachers could sup
ply tho deficiency. lie suffered from llngual
affection that made 1t difficult to understand
his meaning when he spoke, and this, with his
bodily weakness. made his life In some ways a
sad one. But he seemed to enjoy himself in a
way that the other boys could not understand
for he took but little part in their sports and
spent most Of his time by himself.
During the summer Joseph grew stronger
and when the autumna frosts had opened the
chestnut burrs in the woods that are in the con-
vent grounds he. for the first time in his life,
showed a real delight In the expedition that the
Sisters organ zed to give the boys an outing
after the days duties in the class rooms were
over. These trips to the woods and climbs over
the hill he looked forward to from day to day,
and he was included in the parties whenever tho
Sisters thought it best that he should go; and
after the middle Of September new color grew
into his cheeks. and he became stronger and
brighter day by day.
On Wednesday afternoon. Just after o'clock,
a white robed Sister. followed by fifty boys. one
of whom was Joseph Edge, left the orphanage
BY the rear gates. The little procession went
| slowly down the side OF the hill on which the in
sttuton stands, the boys in perfect step at
first, but speedily breaking up into little knots
in their eager discussion Of the good time that
they expected to have. AS they neared the
meadows at the western side OF the hill the
Sister turned toward the south. and the fifty
boys followed her to avoid the swampy land
that lay before them. They walked a few rods
TO the south and reached the enu OF the marsh.
They turned to the west again and soon were
at the Chestnut trees. There ali sem nblahce of q
line WAS lost. and while the sister, with watch
ful eyes. kept guard over them. the boys
despo led the trees. They romped and played.
Joseph among the rest. He paid less attention
Zee ssaSIsHs T.. :" vu'ess" @ s1a" - 10 sas SSi1;
other boys forgot that he with them. tvt.et'
everything but their sport, and wien the time
came for them to return to the home they fell
in line behind the Sister. chatting and laughing,
aud carrying the chestnuts in their pockets.
Forty nine small boys. all less than ten years
old. when they are all talking at Once, might
easily be mistaken tor tifty. aud no one noticed
maftheu oack 10 the orphahase ana before
o'clock they were seated at one OF the long ta-
hles waiting Tor their sunvers.
For the tirst time. one OF the boys who had
been oil the chestnut hunt noticed that Joseph
, met IN NJ, hm hsaA pqee s aSxsd hs PIy
question ran -rouhd the table until II reached
the ears of another Sister. She thought that
the boy might be eick. or possibly was In hiding.
and sent after him. He was not in the in.
firmary in the dormitory. When 1t
found that he WAS not in any OF the places
where he would naturally 20 the search began in
earnest about the grounds OF the institution. At
about the same time the boys who had been In
the chestnutting party remembered that Joseph
had not been with them when they returned to
the home and one less affected than his com
paniOn- by the panic tnat had suddenly fallen on
them told the SISTERS OF this. The Sister who
had taken the boys I" the grove wa qne,tioned.
on the return trip. Thu 1t became known TO
the dominican Sisters that one OF the boys in
their home had been left on the hill side. just at
nightfall.
This point settled. tho search was commenced
al once. Twelve men who employed around
the home were started out, and number OF tho
Sisters Joined them. IL was n party vastly diff
ferent from the one that left the same gate IN
the afternoon. this one that went out on tho hill
some carving bells and some horns. walked
rapidly down TO tho meadow. skirted the
treacWerous swamp land, and assembled the hln
on tho otner SIDE. With them went few
Sisters, and a.! were quiet, When they
and began search that lasted until
waking across the ground and back again. in
different directions. from evening until dawn.
The wood, which cover about two acres. was
The men rang the bells. how the horns. and
waved the Lanterns. The Sisters cried the name
OF the lost child until they could hardly speak,
walking 10 ana fro III tho underground and
among the trees.
orphAnaee was lost spread that evening through
the town about the institution. From half n
dozen villages men went TO the woods To help in
the search. There was not n spot that they did
not visit. but they found no trace OF the boy.
In the morning the ranks OF the searchers were
recruited BY fresh men, and the search was con-
tinued., Tho grove in which the boy was
seen the las! time is on the orphanage
grounds and is comparatively small
one. II IL scRnt half mile from
the buildings. A quarter of a IN lie southwest of
It Is a larger and wilder patch OF forest, cover
Ing in all about twenty acres. When II became
evident that there was no clue to be gained in
the Orphanage woods. the srarchers divided
into two parties. Tho larger u: these went TO
the woods beyond the chestnut grove aad went
through them in tie same thorough way That
they had examined the smaller piece, The
other party went down the hill to the swamp
lHnd and walked over the marsh.
The marsh is low and filled with pits varying
In depth and full OF water. The searchrrs think
Ing that the boy might have tried to make his
way back to the orphanage, and in doing 80 had
fallen into one OF these holes, looked carefully
over the ground. They found nothing. Neither
did the men ho went to the big woods. While
the volunteer searchers were nt work detcc-
tive, who had been employed by the Sisters,
made n canvass of all the houses in the neign-
borhood OF the ,orplhnHgr. lie questioned all
the farmers whom hc saw. No could
give him any hopes, and at, night he
was obliged to report TO the Sisters
that he had made no progress. Discouraging
news of the same kind WAS brought by the lead
of nll the searching uurlips, Twput VI fnur