The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-02-21


One of His Boys Preached"
Welles Marshall, he says his name is
The police say he has been making $2j
a day out Of philanthropic New York
ers. When Detective Dean Of the Oak
New York sun, in his rooms on the top
floor OF the tenement house ut 10 oil.
yer street. he was counting over the
proceeds Of the days work. He says
he is a laborer His hands are soft.
Boys, 1t is alleged, were his agents in
collecting the dollars.
Theodore Nalence. 10 years old, Of
go Pacific street, Brooklyn, conceived
the Idea Of running away from home
and making his fortune selling newspa-
pers After putting up a few good
fights and taking few lickings he
found friends in the business, was adj
mltted to the fellowship and slept in
the newsbOys' lodging house several
nights. The police. warned by gen
eral alarm, were looking for" him.
but were not looking among the news
boys.
Nalence was playing with some other
boys, having sold out his stock Of pa
pers, when Marshall came along, spot
ted him as a new hand and proposed
business partnership. He took Nalence
to n clothing store and fitted him out
x,-ffh glnfl,a.s l,f,Ir IFnp
several days Marshall kept the young
ster with him in his room. Other boys
came to the room and went away again
after talks with Marshall. and. as these
boys all seemed to have plenty Of mon
ey, Nalence began to get impatient to
90 TO work himself Marshall told the
boy finally that he wanted him 10 show
a letter to men In offices in the big
down town Office buildings and see If
they would not contribute toward n
fund the purpose of which would be
explained in the letter. Then he read
the letter to Nalence. Written ut the
top was:
"Wafs and Newsboys' Home. Indus
trial Department, SOC Water Street.
Philadelphia"
The body Of the letter was to the ef-
feet that the bearer was John Meyer,
an unfortunate boy who had been car
ried to Philadelphia by a relative and
left there and now wanted TO get back
TO his home in Boston. His people had
a good home for him there, the letter
said, but they were too poor to send
him money TO come home by rail-
Kind friends Of the home In Phlladel-
phia had let him have enough money
TO get TO New York. and any assistance
that was given TO him In New York to
further his Journey would be worthily
bestowed. The boy was described rs
good. honest boy. and the signer Of the
letter earnestly recommended him TO
all charitably inclined persons. The
signature was rs. II. yelling. superin-
tendent."
Marshall. so the youngster says, train
ed him for the part Of Meyer" and
started him out with a package Of
court plaster. which he had orders to
display and try to sell in case anybody
threatened to have him arrested for
begging.
Nalence tackled a large office build
ing in Park row. The results Of dis
playing his letter amazed him. 1t pro-
duced a veritable shower OF nickels.
dimes and quarters. Almos, every
body gave money. and before noon the
boys back was sore from the well
meant pats bestowed on him. When
he came down the elevator, his pockets
were bullying. He saw by a clock that
he had been In the building less than
three hours, and a curiosity to know
how much he had taken IN came over
him. So he went off In n corner and
counted it. He found almost SO in
cents, nickels. dimes and quarters. the
largest piece being half dollar, which
woman typewriter had given him.
His orders were TO report to Marshall
at noon at the bridge entrance. He
kept his appointment, but Marshall
made him wait while he talked with q
couple Of other boys who had come up
first and who passed a lot Of small
coins over to him. Marshall took all
the money Nalence had collected and
then took him to restaurant, where
be let him eat his Gil. Then he started
Nalence out again with his letter tell
ing him to finish up the same building
that day If he could, as 1t wouldn't do
to work one building two days in sue
cession.
Nalence collected a dollar more, and
then 1t occurred TO him that he was
fool to work for Marshal's pocket and
that he wanted to see his mother. So
he went home to Brooklyn. There be
told his father all about Marshall.
The father told the Children's society,
and the society told the police. De-
tective Dean and the boy went to the
Oliver street house and found Marshall
in his room. On table IN front of him
was a great heap Of coins, which he
was counting. Dean said that Mar
shall had at least five boys working for
him. Some of them got q small share
Of what he made, but others nothing
r. l.