The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-27

Four little boys, shivering from the
cold were crouching in the small arch-
way for pedestrians under the Dela-
ware. Lackawanna and Western tracks
on South Washington avenue, last
night, when along comes man, tan
and fierce looking, and grabs one OF
them.
Now. the little boys are just ordinary
youngsters, poorly clad. and a couple
of them work in the breaker
There was Tommie Gerrity, 10 years
old; Willie McGill, two years younger;
Harry Mannick, IA years old, and Joe
Doan. the youngest boy of the quar-
tette, 10 years. All live with parents
i'm the South Washington avenue hats,
and as is the way with small boys,
poor in purse but rich in health they
had Just ended n harmless ramble
about the city and were going home
when the rain came down in torrent.
SO they sought shelter in the arch
way.
Willie McGill had just told his COM
panions how lonesome it was under the
circle Of masonry. Their voices sound
ed sepulchral.
"A great place for robbery here,
eh, Tom?" said Willie.
you bet" drawled Gerrity; mo
one'd ever know what struck i'm in
here"
Just then the figure of tall man
appeared in the south end Of the tun-
mel. The boys We're very still.
GRABBED JOE DOLAN.
The figure approached. When he
| reached the four little boys he sud
| sng mo l1
Joe Dolan. Dolan's coat was slippery
from the rain and he jerked himselt
| loose. The three other boys had began
an escape, but the strange man, turn
| ing quickly around, laid heavy hand
on Tommie Gerrity. The boy cried out
! from pain.
mo, YOU don't" mutered the man
warningly; shut up or I'll kill you
| Tommie continued to cry out. "Oh,
| please, mister. let me so, let me so,
! you're hurting my arm; don't, DON'T!
he was saying in piteous tones.
The strange man uttered an oath
and dragged the boy by main force
through the tunnel and out into Rail
road alley, in the rear of Hunt & Con-
nelrs store, through the mud and slime
and about fifty feet from the opening
|
Then he put the boy upon the ground
and pinned him with his knee. His
hands were on the little fellows throat
and choked off his cries.
"Ill kill you, you little wretch" eX-
claimed the big fellow. Just then help
arrived. Tommie Gerrity's three friends
had not been inactive while their COM
panion was being dragged away. They
1, 1 . he tAvN nf hnif
voices for help and a man named Ar
thur Gordon, happening along, was
informed of the brutal assault.
SAID HE'D KILL HIM.
When Gordon reached the mouth OF
the alley the strange man had his
hands on the boys throat. "Tll Kill
you," he was saying. Let go thai
boy" yelled Gordon with more menace
than grammar in his words and run
ming up he caught the strange fellow
by the shoulders and tossed him to the
ground.
Gordon is six-foot and built for thu
centre of u football team.
The strange man picked himself III
and started down the alley toward III,
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
station on q run. But PatfOlman tteZ
elIiah Peters had heard the noise ant
in four seconds afterward the dought!
blue coat came bounding through tn
alley after the fugitive. He was cap
tured near the Wyoming avenue en-
trance to the alley.
With his prisoner Patrolman Peter
went to the central police station an
handed him over to Desk SerEean
Deter. The fellow was at once locke
in q cell and n charge Of assault an
battery, without provocation was en-
tered on the dockets.
The four youngsters accompanied tn
prisoner to police headquarters an
there they told The Tribune reporte
! the story. Tommie Gerrity was GOV
cred with mud and was even then sob
bling as though something was sti
hurting him. He will appear agains
his assailant at 10 o'clock this morn
ing.
The prisoner gave his name as Joh
Waldner and his residence, Washingto
avenue flats. No such name appear
in the latest directory. He is tai
dark compleXioned, black hair an
has a wild look in his ewes.