The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-19
BOY WANDERERS STOPPED.
Five Western Youths Stranded
After Visiting Buffalo.
When Their Money Gave Out They
Took TO Freight Trains-Local
Railroad Detectives Apprehend
Them I'm Eckington-Thei Stories

Them in Professionalism Stories
without money and far from home. five
boys occupy cells at the Sixth precinct
sta.:cr. under somewhat remarkable cir
cumstances Three of the youths are
from Milwaukee, Wis. while the others
claim Kansas City. Mo, as their home.
All are under twenty years of age. and
will be arraigned today in the Police
Court. Two of the prisoners were arrest
ed Saturday night and the others were
taken into custody yesterday by Police
man Lynch Altogether. tell they an I'M
usual story, yet the boys from Kansas
City claim not to know the youths from
Wisconsin.
Edward Mclaughlin. aged eighteen
years. and Edward Kennedy. whose faith
er is John Kennedy, of 20 First Street,
Kansas City, were first arrested by De
tectives Kcarns and Scott, of the Balu-
more and Ohio Railroad. as they were
about to board an outgoing freight train
in Northeast Washington. This was late
Saturday night. and yesterday morning
James II. Walker. Paul 7. Griffith, ana
Walter Schmitz all eighteen years old,
claiming to reside in Milwaukee and to be
highly connected there, fell into the hands
of the police. Young Walker says that
his father is W A. Walker, one of the
leading lawyers of the Chicago. Milwau-
kee and St Paul Railroad. residing at 1l6
Seventeenth Street, Milwaukee. James c.
Griffith, general agent of the MILWAUKEE,
Mechanics Fire Insurance Company. IS
said to be the father of Paul Griffith. who
claims to live at 1929 Wells Street, Mil
waukee, while Walter Schmitz states that
his home is at ga Tenth Street Milwau-
kee and that his father is prominent
attorney of that city. Young Walker, ac-
cording to his story, graduated last year
from the Western division of the Milwau-
kee High School. which both Griffith and
Schmitz claim to be still attending. 1t
is said, moreover. that young Walker re-
Gently arranged to enter the University
of Michigan at the opening of the com
ing term; that Schmitz is to graduate
from the Milwaukee High School next
year. and Griffith the year after. OF the
Kansas City youths, Edward McLaush-
lin says his father is saloon keeper. and
lives at POI North James Street. that city.
Young Kennedy. on the other hand. states
that his father is a plasterer. Both these
boys left home together, on the afternoon
of July %.
The exposition at Buffalo n. Y, led
all the boys TO leave their Western homes.
Walker, Griffith, and Sc,rraltz departed
for the East on July ?. well supplied with
funds to visit the exposition They reach
ed Buffalo the day following, spent a
week looking about the city, and then
accepted places as walters with the Bal
ley Catering Company in the exposition
grounds. From July 4 to August . this
employment seems to have suited the trio
very well. and the boys say they made
money. On the night of August 3. as their
story goes, the boys from Milwaukee quit
Buffalo. going direct to New York City.
They had money then, for they had been
under no expense while at the exposition.
and for a week had a royal time. After
seven days the fun came to an end. how
ever, as did their funds. and the youths
turned their faces toward the hospitable
South. On to Baltimore they came by
means CT freight trains. A day in the
Monumental City was enough for the wan
ierers. and they then looked wistfully to-
ward the National Capital.
Lack of money caused the boys to again
seek the railroad yards, where they
hoped to board train for Washington.
Walker alone was at once successful, and
he came here last Thursday night Since
then his experience, if not remarkable.
has been anything but agreeable. Crit
fifth and Schmitz on the other hand,
reached here Saturday, only to fall into
the hands of the police. On the same day
Edward Mclaughlin and Edward Ken
nedy arrived at the railroad yards from
New York City. after having likewise
made the trip TO the exposition at Buffalo.
OF the arrival of the latter pair, however.
Walker and his companions claim to
know nothing, and the police so far have
only the theory that all the boys are
known to each other.
However this may be, Walker has in
terested the police in still two other men.
whom he says he met Friday night at
Rosslyn, Va. Thursday night, Walker
says, he stopped at cheap lodging house
on the Avenue, where, among other
things, he was told by hobo" that free
lodging was to be had over in Rosslyn
opposite Georgetown In line with this
suggestion, II appears that Walker made
his way across the Aqueduct Bridge late
FRIDAY afternoon, after seeing Washing
ton on foot most OF the day. 1t was about
dark when Walker reached Rosslyn. but
somebody pointed out TO him the policy
shops, apparently in full operation. For
time Walker says he was Interested
especially in the crowd OF negroes and
others gathered about, but he was ,Iisap-
pointed, too. because no resting place
awaited him. Accordingly the wanderer
turned his footsteps toward the country
u, a in
which TO sleep.
He had not gone far, Walker states. be-
fore he saw two men following him These
strangers soon caught up with him. and
annoyed him not u little. One of the
strangers spoke to him, told him he had
been in saloon with his pal. and had
seen there a man with much money. a
loud voice, and apparently little discre-
ZION. IL was even suggested by the
stranger, Walker says, that they hold M
the man with money, and rob him as he
came along the road. No sooner had
this suggestion been made than walker
was told Of the part he must play. one
of the strangers says Walker. told him
10 accost the man with money and enter
into conversation on some subject, until
suitable place for the holdup was reach
ed. Then the two thieves were to sudden
~ appear in the road one would seize
the victim By the throat. while the otner
obtain his cash II the plan worked
Walker says he was to receive one-third
OF the proceeds Of the robbery
All this scheme was very we'll but
walker says he did not like il a bit. yet
pretended TO agree with the highwaymen.
he TOOK up his station. he says. in the
middle OF the road. and waited while the
Two thieves walked on and hid themselves
IN the bushes on either side of the road.
No sooner had the thieves secreted them
selves than Walker turned toward the city
ana took to his heels. As he ncared the
Aqueduct Bridge, Walker saws he saw tho
man described by the lhghwaymen come
out OF the saloon and start up the road
intent on getting away, however, Walker
did not stop. but crossed the bridge into
Georgetown, and thence made his way
down town.
After his arrest. Walker decided to tell
ABOUT the highwaymen, whose descriptIou
he has also given the police. One OF the
strangers. according to Walker stated
that he and his pal had been In Buffalo.
n. y, long enough this summer TO rob
one man OF W.. and a woman Of SIS. The
last job caused a great ''holler." and the
thieves told Walker they had to fee from
the city TO avoid arrest Then they came