New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-21
MESSENGER BOY KILLS HIMSELF.
TOOK HIS EMPLOYERS MONEY TO BUY NEW
CLOTHES. AND THOUGH FORGIVEN.
TOOK POISON

TOOK POISON.
To buy clothes pay his board and laundry bills.
and. as lie often said look as good as the other
fellows" out OF 81 a week great prob
lem for Charles Herbst a German boy. seventeen
years old Of No Il First-avc.. solve. and last
night he gave II UP. He bought half pint OF car
bolic acid and drinking most OF IT, died before his
old father could realize what it all meant
The Herbst family has had hard struggle Sew
eral years ago George the father. who is a cigar
maker came to this country from Germany. He
could get no work and finally set himself up in
his room az No. Il Frst-ave. TO make cigars FOR
a sweatshon contractor He saved enough
from his scanty wages 10 send 10 Germany for his
son Charles. The mother and the rest OF the
family were 10 be brought over later For time
all went well Charlie got work messenger
hov from the Decorative Plant Company. OF Fifth
ave and Sixteenth-st and there was no happier
boy In New York when AZ the end OF his first week
he took home four big silver dollars and gave them
TO his father
IT'S Is marks" he said Soon win
send for mother and all the rest"
Soon however the boy. rapidly assimating
American notions found It harder to get along.
He met other boy, Of his age. and then ha
found the Is cents pocket money allowed by his
father 100 small Il count. In Germany II would
pc all right" he would say, "but here it's nothing
at all"
on Monday the boy had some flowers 10 deliver.
He was Instructed to collect S. lie was noted for
his honesty, and many times before had had many
times that OF the firms money In his posses
sion but this time ne tempted and yielded.
He bought a hat and umbrella. consoling himself
with the thought that he could get the money from
mis- father and pay 1t back. lie told mis- father the
same night what ne had done and asked for the
money 10 pay the firm. The Old man was furious
He told the boy that he would be arrested. and he
hoped this would happen.
Yesterday the father went the boys employers.
and explaining what he had done. asked for mercy
and promised that he would make good the amount:
TO his surprise the boys emp oyer laughed, and
said It would be all right" that Charlie We
one Of his best boys and must come TO Work al
noon A.. 49,
Instead Of going TO work. however; the BOY
dressed himself and out. The rather lett
home too 10 get some stock for his work Wnen
h. returned AZ o'clock the lamp was M ana purn-
ing low. Lying the bed under the covers ne
saw his son apparently asleep. He bent over his
son 10 kiss his forehead when ne detected the
strange oior OF the poison and saw that the boy
made sign OF life. -, a.. IL.
Rushing 10 the street the father called for help.
A policeman called Dr. Barbour from Bellevue nos
ptal but he said when he arrived mat me poy
was dead The fathers GRIEF was pi,ful ne to,e
his hair and In his native language Dlained hinseit
for what he called his impatience WIN tne boy:
He then drove all the neighbOrs from inc Hat anu
insisted on being left alone with MS dead !, WAC
feared that the old might attempt suicloe ="
two policemen from the Fifth-st station were os-
tailed hy their captain TO guard MN un'u sucn
time as friends could be found 10 care Tor nim