The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-23

WORKED IN A RESTAURANT

Willie Laird has returned home He
came in over the Rock Island yesterday
morning about three o'clock. He got OF
an engine and when he found that he
was Ia wichita he did not know where 70
60. The boy probably knows as much
ebout this town IS anyone twice his age.
but when he came home from his ten
GAYS trip he was completely lost He
hunted Up Omcer Reaspeare and asked
gshsre he was. The odcer, as soon as he
found oal who the boy was. hitoLed Up
TIE police wagon and took the boy 10 his
home al The corner OF Tenth street ana
ssnca re avenue. The officer knocked at
the 6oor and when the folks az home
asked VINO was there the officer said:
"Here is While Immediately the whole
house as in an uproar. Not many boys
ger The welcome that Willie Laird ala
from his parents yesterday morning. 1Ir.
and AIRS Laird had almost given the boy
UP as dead ana they were sure that there
had been foul play somew here. The
mother had been Frustrated for several
spent q great deal Of time and money
l99Eiug FOR the boy The parents had not
given up the search.
The boy was very glad 70 get back
home. He found that people who did not
know him were not as kind 70 him as
he expected they would BE-. He arrived
here as huEgry as d bear, SO he told the
officer 3Ir Remsnear got him O sadwich
got in the house he fell on the floor be-
side his Htde sister and cried as though
his heart would break. He kept this up
for some time, but the family finally got
him quiet enough TO tell his story, but this
was intermingled with sobs. He was so
happy TO get home that he could not keep
the tears from his eyes.
An Eagle reporter went UP to the house
and talked with the boy yesterday even
ing and talked with him about his trav-
els. The boy seemed a utue confused in
his story. He VIII be ten years old next
month and is rather small for his age.
He is a bright little fellow, though. His
parents are sure that he would not have
left home If he hadn't been coaxed away.
His mother sent him down town on an
errand a week ago last Thursday. and
that was the last that was heard OF him
until yesterday except what the negro
boy who was with him told. Wiule had
q dollar and five cents when he started
from home. He went to the packing
house with negro boy about his own
age. The negroes name is Nealy Card
ner. The two went 20 Schuenneman-s
hotel near the packing house and got their
dinner. They loafed around the pack
ing houses until late 81 the afternoon, /
when both got on q north bound Rock Is /
land freight train. 1T first the negro de- /
MED that he had seen Willie that day, +
but the children in the north end who
knew the boys said that they saw them
together. Then the negro boy said that
he saw Willie get Ola the train but that
he did not go with him. Then an IN
dian appeared GA the scene and said
THAT both Of the boys went north on the
train. The negro boy said that he got
on soon after the train started A Rock f
Island Official said that he saw the ne
gro in Kechi the day that Willie Laird +
disappeared and then the negro acknowl- /
eleed that he went as far as Kechi. I.
where 81 left the boy. This was as far
as Willie laird could be traced.
When the reporter called at the house {
Willie and his brother had gone TO the
depot 10 see their father of for III Re
no and when they came back the bow
toI5 the reporter about his travels He
said- The negro boy and j went down .
town and then he wanted me 70 so 10 the .
packing house. We got on Rock Is
land switch engine and rode to the Yards .
and then NeaIey CHE regro) said he was
hungry and wanted me to buy his din
uer. rs BE knew had some money. We 4
got our dinners ana T paid for it. Then .
we loafed around awhile ard Nealev
wanted me 70 80 to whitewater with .
him. Both Of rs got on the train
and Z gave the brakeman q quarter and .
he sai5 that both Of us could ride as far
as Harrington We were In a box ear and .
when we got to hechi the brakeman
came into the car and beat the negro and T.
made him get or the train. BE did not
say a word 10 me and 7 went on. We
strte5 from wichita about Eve o'clock.
looked ont OF the car window and saw
that we were coming To p town 7 thought
Ct was Harrington. Ect or and after the
train started the brakeman veIe5 at me
ard uotioncd for ire 70 set on. The train
was going too fast and } could not catch
it, Where was you eoi1s-' the reporter
asked. when the brakeman put NeaIev
or Thought would 80 to my grad
fathers n Illinois" CThe town was 8Ta-
rion Centrel after the train leet went
70 a house in the woods near hv ana
asked Tor something 70 cat. The woman
asked r,e II wasn't @ stranger here ara
e 7 didn't want n stay with her. t7l3
her di5 and STAYED there three DAYS.
The wonar's name was Williams. one
dav bcv aske5 ne ~ T didn't want u