The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-12
THE LUCK OF 4 RUNAWAY BOZ.
Ir He Writes tho Truth He Has n Claim in the
Yukon Worth moro Than $780, 900.

"" ~ HthhtupOtto t"cs'
New ULM, Mimi. Sept. IA most remark
able story Of pluck, adventure, and luck reached
this city from the gold fields to-day. Last Sep
TENDER Willie. the l4.yearold son OF Ferdinand
Gollnast, left his home in this city and went, no
one knew where. The morning before his de-
parturc pistol shots were heard in the rear OF
Mr.. Gollnast's saloon. The boy claimed at the
time that he had heard some one attempting to
enter the rear door, that he went downstairs,
saw the men at work boring holes near
the lock, and taking a revolver fred at
the burglars; that they fired back and
that one of the bullets passed through his hat.
story. and he was confronted by his father with
the charge that he had been playing burglar
himsclt-the result OF reading trashy tales OF
adventure. The boy denied, 1t stoutiy and the
next morning disappeared. Nothing was heard
l.. al Star Claim. No. 7o5. British Northwest
Territory. The contents are as follows:
DEAR FATHER: know that since | ran away
trou. hetnc yoi hay" benn wondering where !
am and whether | am alive yet or not. or
S %Ss,Ss IT { fa a@ n n2, matter or bef. % p1S ,b TO ySp or %o5 ns
write and let you know where l am. | did not
like my home. and AS / could not get along with
Col. got a revolver, and was going to. start
away the morning that the robbers, tried to
to catch them. had my revolver and bicycle
in the cellar, and when came downstairs saw
them. You WOulQ not DellCNe II, Out Wletler
you do now or not l do not care.
II started from home in the morning and went
to Madelia. From there went to Cripple Creek.
l got there in seventeen days. but I found no
work there. so | sold my bicycle, for S75 and
went TO Tacoma. Wash. had only 81 when I
left home. When l got to Tacoma l got work
for two days loading a ship. l wanted 10 get
work on a ship. but, could get none. One day a
was out at sea and then come up and they would
have to take me along. So | went and bought
$50 worth Of warm clothes and hid on a steamer
h nd for lyRa / IA for two hnra n rho
The Sh res, OF or the ""1 ma sH' SSRsn'f s %1S to P y some s"me
They told me | could work my way along with
them for my food. ! did il, and We got TO the
at $ll a day and board. There were twenty.
one of us in a shnnty 20 by Do. The beds were
made Of rough DO ,rds and like a shelf, one above
wrap. ourselves up in thick blankets. In the
middle of the room is n hole where the fire is
made and our cooking done. The smoke goes
out through a hole in the roof. We live on rice,
II have also staked off a claim and have had
work the claim. II cost 500 to get a patent on
it. | worked three days ON it ana took out four
about " shovels Of dirt, Ne arst build a big
fire for about a day to thaw the ground. then
dirt a day. The man who owns the Star Claim
has offered me S5O, 900 for nv claim. but | will
% nSi SELL Where ss l 'I Work !eks su qas sseo a fbciiy' s EsS
daily, l had very hard work clearing up
my claim. | have traced the vein back
900 feet and have taken out a place only
six inches long and one foot wide and SIX inches
deep. but the vein is about four feet deep and
two feet wide. have ~ffty-tive panfuls OF dirt
not cleaned that ! have been offered IS. 900 for,
but ] did not sell because it viii bring ut least
$4,000. intend TO work my claim about three
years. but / don't know whether you will ever
see mo again. In coming over the mountains
we saw snowdrifts hundreds Of feet high and
dead people were seen every dry. The people
use gold dust here. No money is seen.
Il send this Ly a miner who is returning &c
New Orleans and don't know whether 1t will
eyer see u stamp or when he will put 1t in the
Post Office. Maybe not until he gets to New
Orleans. l spend my spare time looking up tn,
dump dirt, and so far have found about 81, 500
enough for this time. ] remain your no &C
count son, WILLIAM COLIN asst"
The letter has been tho talk of the town to
day. The boy was known to DO bright. daring
and strong and we'll built for his age.
Io was born in this city. His parents ar
Germans. and his father was for many year
proprietor of the Northwestern Hotel. He en-
tered school at g and was known to be diligen
in his studies and bright. He left school at l3