The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-08
Young Lawrence, Who Tried to Kill
Grandparents Received BeatingS
and Neglect as His Portion.

Bridgeton, n. a., Jan S-Belford Rus
sell Lawrence, the .l2-year-old boy who
by his own confession, attempted to
murder his grandfather ard grandmother
by poisoning them, looks little the muir
dcrer at heart,
In the jail here he told how mIstreat-
ment, abuse and loneliness on Christmas
day. when other children were happy to-
gether with the determination TO get
pair Of shoes. bad led him TO poison his
old grandfather and grandmother.
In making his full confession he i'm
plicated his ls-year-old brother. Eugene
Lawrence. who, he said promised him
$3.50 il he would kill the old couple.
Not until the boy told his story had
Sheriff Hande learned that Eugene Law
renee was in any way implicated. He
announced that II the facts warranted
IL Eugen, would be arrested
The poisoning OF Aaron Broadway and
his aged wife occurred on Christmas day,
at their home in the country, two miles
from here.
They were very Ill for more than u
hours, with no one To help them. 1t was
the boys indifference 10 their condition
BOY LIKE A MAD PERSON.
The lad was arrested and confined i'm
Jail here. His Indictment followed. For
a while he denied the crime. So fright
ened was he when taken to Jail that for
two days he could hardly speak. Nor
would he eat or drink.
lie beat his little lists against the iron
bars OF his cell Gradually he was made
To understand that no harm would be
done TO him and he was tanned by de-
grees.
When he was seen In the prison today
he showed himself TO be a bright little
fellow, and IN spite OF the Wild life he
has known he talked intelligently. He
was barefooted. He has always been
barefooted summer and winter, and
though shoes have been given him by
some kind women Of Bridgeton he cannot
wear them.
lie explained that they plnched his feet.
The boy H. small but sturdy. and though
his only training has been I'm crime and
the ability to lie and steal there Is an
honest look about him Some OF his ex-
prossions can hardly be termed English.
They are common TO the ignorant classes
in South Jersey. At times he can hardly
be understood except by those familiar
with the peculiar dialect.
He told the sad details OF his life. For
four years the little fellow has lived un-
der the roof OF his grandparents. and all
these years he has known only blows.
lie has never played with or even known
children of his own age.
While ne talked he sat in high-backed
chair swinging his bare feet. Occasion
ally tear would come to his eyes when
he referred TO some hard beating he has
received or some crime he had been forced
TO commit.
BRADwAYS LIVE IN A HovEL.
The Bradways live on the Beebey Run
road. There's a tumbledown house of
five rooms. half hidden in high under
brush. Chickens and dogs run In and out
OF the howell The windows are broken
and here and there are stuffed with rags
In the rear OF the house Is stable, also
falling down. In this two bony old horses
are kept.
Two big dogs bounded out as the re-
porter approached The house old Brad
way appeared at the door and with oath
demanded the vxltor's business mt his
house lie Is lean and STOPPING with long
and unkempt gray beard and hair His
face II hard and cruel Behind old Brad
way came his wife. n woman OF g.. o.
enormous proportions. and In spite OF her
age she looked 10 be the match OF any
man I'm strength. She talked I'm n crack
ed. harsh voice.
II suppose you want 10 know about
that boy?' she cried, after the dogs had
been called of What do you want 60
know? How bad he xvas and how he tried
90 murder me and the old msn7 Thought
ne was going TO get this farm, 1 suppose.
But he won't get II. Hell hans. he will.
1 will see that the law gives him the
limit"
At this point old Bradway broke IN.
JIis wife save him enc slanes 81 anger