The times., 1901-06-12
PLIGHT OF THREE YOUTHS
Seeking for Work, They Beat Their
Way Here From Wilmington.
Hungry Lads FAN Into the Hands of
the Police While Waiting in "a
Railroad Yard to Go Westward
An Echo of the Mnchinists' strike.

An Echo of the Mnchinists' strike.
a hint of the progress the country over
of the great strike of machinists. whose
demand is for a nine-hour day with ten
hours pay, was waited here last night.
when Albert Witt. aged sixteen years. and
John Lever, fourteen years old. were ar
rested in the railroad yards and lodged
at the House of Detention. The boys
came here late Monday night on a freight
train and slept until yesterday In box
car. Charles Witt. father OF one of the
youths, an engineer formerly employed
by the Diamond State Steel Company. Of
Wilmington. is now on strike. with
thousands of his brethren. and partly be
cause of the distress resulting from this
his boy left home to search for employ
ment. Today parents of both boys will be
| notified of their arrest, although each
prisoner appears adverse to return home
| at this time.
The journey to this city was weary
one. for the boys rode all the way on
freight train. They had no money yester-
day and went without food rather longer
than usual. 1t has been two years since
young Witt saw the inside of a school
! house. for times are apparently hard at
Wilmington and his lifework began when
he entered his teens. The Lever boy has
| Jared little better than this; his schooling
| ended several months ago. For while
| the Witt boy worked hard in leather
| shop; then he went into a boathouse for
| employment, but nothing advantageous
seemed to offer and he determined to
| leave home. Young Lever appears to
| have been of the same mind. Both boys
knew an older boy named Ray Lynch,
| I,O 4nfH Iat IN
| had at Pittsburg. Besides. Lynch said he
| had a friend at Pittsburg; 50 the trio de-
| cided that Pittsburg should be their des-
| tination.
| Before daylight Monday morning the
| boys started from Wilmington, boarding
a Pennsylvania freight train for this city.
| Young Witt SAYS both he and the Lever
boy told their parents of their plans. At
| Baltimore they left the train. and board
| ed another TO avoid possible difficulty
with the police. 1t was late at night Wnen
| the youths reached this city. and they
went 10 sleep in a box car, not troubling
| themselves at all about the future. es-
| Lerday they awoke, very hungry. For a
| time they wandered about the city, and
| then they went to the freight yards. pre-
! paratory TO boarding a freight train Tor
/ the West.
| No train appeared as the boys sat on
\ a pile of lumber and waited. An hour
| passed and they were about to start on
! a search for food, when two policemen
| hove in sight around the lumber pile.
| The police told the boys to accompany
| them, and afterward young VIII and
| the Lever boy found themselves under ar
! rest at the House of Detention. The
| Lynch youth remained at the police sta
| tiOn. So weary We're the boys that they
| fell asleep in the bus on the way from
| the station to the House of Detention.
| There they were fed and put to bed.
y reporter saw young Witt at the House
| of Detention. The boy said his home is
at 209 TatnaU Street, Wilmington The
Lever youth lives nearby. on Maryland
| Avenue near Oak Street. My father has
| been on a strike for two weeks. was
what young Witt stated. we thought
We could find work and support ourselves,
so left home, and came here TO go to
Fittsburs."
The boy said also that John Lever, faith
er of his companion. was employed by
the Harlan & HOllingsworth Company,
boat builders. once before we were
both arrested" said young Witt, in Dow
er Del. less than a year go. We went
there on g train for work and were ar
rested by Detective Hutchinson. After
ward we were sent to Jail for thirty days,
because t. is illegal there to ride on
freight train. We served only eight days,
for the Jail was so fun, with prisoners
always arriving, that il became neces-
sary to release some Of the prisoners
charged with the smaller offences