The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-13
QUEER CASE.
Mrs. Lakeland Says Her
Son Prefers Hawking
to Luxury.
TRIED VAaRAhcY THREE YEARS
Jersey City Police Let the Ten
rear Old Vendor Slip
Through Their Fingers.
TRIED VAGRAHCY THREE YEARS

The Jersey city police let a remarkaple
boy vagabond slip through their nnssfs
this morning. 1t was the second eilns =
has haan IN the hands of the authorities.
He nlaved his part SO we'll and so COM
pletely did he change his appearance
fbat ne was not recognized. He was
turned loose by the Jersey City Ponce
while the New York and Brooklyn
authorities were searching the streets Tor
him. A half hour after he had been re-
leased the police found a mistake had
been made.
Mrs. James Lakeland, of No. q Ocean
avenue. Brooklyn, called at Police Head
charters, this city, to see if her son had
fallen into the hands OF the police. She
described the vagaries of her son, Victor,
70 CAPTAIN Cody and Inspector Archibold'
She said her husband is a wealthy builder
who has an elegantly appointed home op-
pesEte Prospect Park Every luxury d
bow could desire was given Victor.
The lad even had a driving horse and
carriage that he could call his own. In
spite of these home attractions VICTOR
prefers the life of a street gamin.
Policeman Thomas Dougherty, OF the
Gregory street station brought TO Police
Headquarters yesterday afternoon a ten
year old boy who gave his name
Is Patrick Muller, and said he lived
at No. so Raymond street, Brook
1yn. The boy was ound lettering
about the Pennsylvania ferry. Policeman
Dougherty questioned the lad and learned
that he lived in Brooklyn, and had no
money to get home.
rrL-- NT.lfor -ooo6pd Police H6adQuaT~
ters he repeated his story to Chief OF
Police Murphy. Chief Murphy ~telephoned
TO the authorities in Brooklyn and IN
formed them of Muller's presence in this
city. The Brooklyn police investigated
the matter and discovered that no such
nerson resided there. This information
was received by Chfef Murphy. who ac-
c1sed Muller of telling an unttruth. The
how broke down and cried but would give
No further information about himself,
He was sent to the Oakland avenue
station
TIL boys parents, finding that their
son had disappeared from home, sought
The aid of the New York police. The po-
lice had no tidings, so this morning Mrs.
Lakeland came here.
Captain Cody. after the description OF
The lad had been given. said
.Why 1 have just had a policeman put
4 bow answering your description aboard
the Brooklyn annex"
The boy was brought before Captain
Cody this morning. He got down on his
knees before the Captain and begged pite-
ousfv that he be sent to his mother in
Brooklyn.
Just put me on a ferry boat" said ne,
CRYING bitterly, and I will be able to
ind my way home. I dreamed of mamma
last night. She must be awfully worried.
III never run away again.
Captain Cody hardly knew what to do
in the matter. He finally sent a police
man to put the boy on the Brooklyn An
mex. This happened a half hour before
the arrival of Mrs. Lakeland. When she
heard the patrick Muller story she ex-
claimed
"That's Victor. That's my'boy, the lit
tie rascal"
II said this morning." remarked Cap
tain Cody. athat the boy was a born ac-
tor and that when he grew up he would
equal the best"
Mrs. Lakeland informed the Captain
that her son had been arrested last week
for trying to dispose of his horse and car
I4IEG 4Ot f-Js ~ 't~|
his father after that escapade.
s-yhree years ago." continued Mrs.
Lakeland, Victor began to run away
from home. We then lived in Chicago
He was picked up on the Lake front. He
told a pitiful story about a starving
mother whom he had to support. He
had 81 and a number of Mckinley but
tons, which he was trying TO dispose Of
HIS story touched the police and before
he was released he disposed of all his
buttons to the officers He has been rum
min way ever since.
HE is a smart Roy and he makes as
high as 81 and s. a day selling novelties
among rich folk and sporty people. He
does not have to do this, but seems to
think it all right. We tried to keep him
home by letting him sell tutti frutti in
Prospect Park. I embroidered the name
on his coat so if he ran way l could
identify him.
yesterday morning he left home. /
learned he had bought a lot of novelties
and disposed of them to a dealer at No.
Is Ann street. New York. He also bought
a complete change of clothing. He left
his old clothes in the clothing store. He
told the clothier that he was going to
canvass a new book and he was advised
TO try Newark. He got as far as Jersey
City.
Mrs. Lakeland fears now that Victor has
succeeded In eluding the Jersey City police
he will not return to Brooklyn. The
police of adjoining cities have been noti-
ded.