Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-08
LITTLE BOYS SEEK EXCITEMENT:
SET FIRE AND AWAIT ENGINES

for this reason stood as far away from
the interviewer as he considered polite,
having been told that someone wanted
to see him also.
Claude only shifted his weight from
one foot to another and looked at the
floor.
What did you do when you had the
fire golng?' was asked.
Just went down to the street and
waited to see the fire engines come.
But they didn't come and when we
saw there was going to be no fire we
went to that shed on South Olive
street.
1--WE got in through a window and
found lot of excelsior on the floor,
SO we lit that and got out to wait for
the fire engines to come'
Did you see them?"
The boys eyes grew large, apparently
still delighted with the memory of the
sight of the engines and fire horses.
In unison they answered:
You bet we did.
Is Sorry Now
Were you sorry when you failed to
start fire the second time?" was
asked.
We'll, no." Arthur answered hesitat-
ingly. but that's not saying that we're
not sorry now," he added, apparently
feeling that he was incrlminating him
self
Where did you get the idea Of set
ting fire to houses, Arthur; do you
like to read five-cent novels?"
"Yes, I've read eight Of them, Da-
mond Dick, Frank Merrlwell and some
Tip Top library novels"
Does your mother and father know
that you read these books?"
Yes, mamma she reads them first
and then If she thinks they're all right
she reads them to me. She read me
one of the stories about a baseball
game not long ago. 1t told all about
the game and there was a funny old
Dutchman in the story that had n
quarrel with nearly every one he met"
said Arthur laughing at the thought of
the funny remarks of the "Dutchman,"
who figured in the story.
Claude Told Story of Omaha
"In one place in the story there is
a girl who bets $1,000 that Frank Merri-
wells team is going to win the game.
You see the woman works in the
boarding house where Frank Mer-
riwePs team lives and she
says she knows the boys are
going to win. The old Dutchman he
has quarrel with her over it and he
says that he will stick her with a PIN"
described Arthur, trying at the same
time to tell it in the language of the
Dutchman, who had appealed to him
as being especially funny.
Didn't Claude suggest the burning
down of the houses to you?''
well, so far as I could understand
him, he knew some boys in Omaha,
Neb., who climbed upon the top of a
big packing house there and set fire
to the roof of the building. The fire
burned for seven weeks and all the
boys were arrested and sent to the re-
form school. 1 thought it would be
great to try 1T for ourselves"
May Send Children Home
When asked If they started the fire
in the house on Clay street near the
Hill street tunnel the boys emphatic
ally denied it. When pressed Claude
said:
1--WE were close by and followed the
engines to it, but we didn't start it."
what are you going to do If you are
not sent to the reform school for this ?"
Pm going to mind my own business
after this" said Arthur, "but if we
get sent to the reform school we will
have to go / guess" he added, appar-
emily regarding such a punishment as
a mere matter of form.
From all outward appearances the
boys are prepared to take their pun
ishment whatever ii may be, but the
police say that owing to their extreme
youth there is a possibility they will
not be prosecuted