The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-05
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RUNAWAY ORPHAN SAYS HE WANTS
TO GO.
DIDN'T LIKE FOSTER PARENTS
WITH WHOM HE LIVED AFTER
LEAVING MACON ORPHANAGE.

started Tor savannah but Had No
Money and Travelled Deadhead.
Railroad Officials Took Charge of
Him and Turned Him over to the
POIice-Chief Reilly Interested in
His Case-FOund Him a Temporary
Home.
A claim that he was ill-treated by
his foster parents and seized with a
desire to return to the orphans home
from which he was taken four months
ago, Herbert Wright, a youngster IL
years of age, was taken in at
police headquarters last night. He had
come all of the way from farm near
Stillwell in Effingham county, reaching
Savannah in the afternoon on the
Seaboard train in charge of the con-
ductor who had taken him into
his custody shortly after leaving Rim
con.
The lad says that he is II years old,
but he scarcely looks that old. He is
an intelligent little fellow and tells
a very plausible story concerning his
flight from his foster-parents. He is
neatly dressed, wearing a pink-striped
shirt, blue trousers, and cap of the
same color.
The story, as told by the boy, i'm
pressed Chief of Police Reilly who did
everything in his power to make him
comfortable and to learn the where
abouts of his parents. The boy said
that his mother died when he was a
baby, and that his father followed her
few years later. He was then sent
to the South Georgia Conference Or
phan's Home, where he stayed until
about four months ago, when he was
adopted by a farmer living near Still
we'll. There he said he had been well
provided for, but that recently his
foster father had required too much
work OF him.
His Sister in Orphan Home
AT the Orphans Home he had al
ways been kindly treated, and he has
sister there, a girl of 16. In June
he received a letter from her. but he
says that his foster mother declined to
answer it for him, though he requested
her several times to do so. The let
ter was an eXortation to the boy to
he kind and good and to lead a Chris
tan life. Since it's receipt he has been
| longing to return to the home, but he
dared not make his desire known to
his foster parents.
Shortly after sunrise yesterday
morning, without waiting for his
breakfast, the boy set out on foot
| from the farm and walked to Rincon.
a distance of six miles. There he
waited for the train coming to Savan-
nah. When the conductor called
| for his ticket and found
that he had none, he took him in
| charge and brought him on to Savan-
nah. On reaching the city the con-
ductor reported the matter to Super
intendent Hale. The superintendent
and other officers at the Union Station
did everything that they could to
reach the parents of the boy AHy wire,
and superintendent Hale offered to
send him back to Rincon.
he was taken in charge by Mr.. Hur-
! ley, the station operator, who sent dis
patches to Rincon and other points
along the line in an endeavor to locate
the parents of the runaway boy. Every
effort failed. He took the lad to A
restaurant and gave him a meal. 1t
was the first that the child shad had
since the night before and the little
| fellow ate heartily.
Turned over to Police.
|
Mr.. Hurley turned his unclaimed
charge over to officer Best, who was
on duty at the depot, and Best, in turn
put the boy in charge of Superinten-
! dent Reilly, who happened to be at the
| depot on business. Chief Reilly took
him to the barracks and there he stay-
ed until a late hour last night when
Mrs Ben Henderson, of 206 Habersham
| street, offered to make a place for the
ho1 In he. I1,,
! OF the orphan home or the parents at
| StillweI could be communicated with.
The superintendent has written to
! the superintendent of the Orphans
Home and to the family at Stillwell.
The boy is very anxious to return to
! the home, and AYERS that that was his
only reason for coming to Savannah.
He has asked the chief to send him to
Macon, and unless objections are had
] from the foster-parents at the farm
near Stillwen, the request will be
| granted.
The boy says that he has a brother.
| Robert Lee Wright, living at Cordele.
/ He says that he was born at Pine
hurst, in Dooley county, and that he
lived there until he was sent to the
| Orphans Home He carried in his
pocket the letter from his sister, which
he said he priced very much. His one
desire was to see her again, and to do
so he would make any sacrifice.
Left without Telling Anyone.
The boy left the farm at Stillwell
without the least warning, and it
is probable that until his parents re-
ceiVe the communication from the Su-
! perintendent of Police they will have
no clue as to his whereabouts He does
rot seem worried over his plight, his
every action and speech showing that
he has been nerved to the endeavor by
his desire to return to the home and