The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-02-18
YOUTHFUL HOBO ROUNDED UP
BY POLICE.
YOUNG BUT VERY TOUGH
Louis Thurston Leaves His Home to
Try Life AS a Vag-
abond.
Sundays Daily Gazette.

From Sundays Daily Gazette.
Louis Thurston because of his boy
ish desire "to see the world" was
an involuntary guest of the county
yesterday and found himself restricted
to the narrow confines of the Jail.
But he was not alone. having another
lad. about two years older than him
self. as a companion.
Louis and the other boy, who gave
his name as Odell Highland, we're
picked up at the Northern Pacific
depot early yesterday morning by Of
ficer Hayden, who found them almost
frozen and shivering with cold. They
admitted that they were runaways
and had just arrived from Livingston,
saying they had ridden on the cars,
but refused to tell in what manner.
From their condition, however, it was
very apparent that they had not occu-
pied the usual quarters If f~irstclass
passengers.
Tired of School.
The Thurston boy gave his age as
Is, while the other said he was II,
although it was regarded as extremely
doubtful that either gave his age cor
rectly, for they looked much younger.
To the officers questioning Louis
said he had run away from home be-
cause he did not want to go to school.
as he neve could learn his lessons
and had grown tired of the whole
thing. He said he had a good home.
was we'll treated and did not have to
work, but for all that home had lost
it's attractions for him and he had de-
termined to strike out for himself.
Highland said he was from Iowa,
but beyond this would give no further
information concerning himself or his
movements.
Considering the y~outhfulness of the
lads and their admissions Mr.. Hay
den deemed it advisable to lock them
up and notify Thurston's father, who,
the boy claimed was the proprietor of
a steam laundry at Livingston. Both
boys were exceptionally well dressed,
each having on two suits of clothes,
besides two o~vercoats and two suits
of underwear. They had no money,
but each was well supplied with pipes
and tobacco and other little Access
series calculated to increase the COM
forts of tramps.
Swore Like Pirates.
They proved to be hardened little
sinners and swore Justify when they
found out that they were prisoners,
cursing the officer for interfering with
their plans and declaring they would
never return to the place from where
they had ONE no matter what hap
pened. They also riled at the unkind
fate which had caused them to stop
owe here and said that if it had not
been for the fact that they were too
cold to continue their journey they
would not have stopped, but the long
ride from Livingston had so chilled
them that they could not go further
without stopping to get warm. Had
the officer not arrested them, they
said, they would have made an effort
to get away on the next train headed
for the east.
Up to last evening no word had
been received in reply to Mr.. Hayden's
telegram to the man supposed to be
the father of the younger of the two
Adventures.
Owing to the fact that he gave his
home as being outside the state and
that he appeared old enough to take
care Of himself, Highland was not
detained l1ng in Jail, but soon re;eas-
ed. He stayed about the city, how
ever, and was still here last night,
evidently hoping that Thurston would
also be set at liberty, SO that they
might resume their wanderings to-
gether.