The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-17
AFTER 20 YEARS.
A Founding Boy Locates His
Mother in LeavenwOrth.
Strange Story of George Hess,
Born in Pennsylvania.
SHE REPUDIATES HIM.
Declares She Does Not Know
the Young Man.
The Story of His Wanderings
Has Romantic Tinge.
SHE REPUDIATES HIM.

Leavenworth. Kas., Feb. 1.-THE
Times says.
The shuttIecock of fate is what |
George A. Hess, a young employe at
Abernathy's furniture factory, has
been all the twenty-five years he has
been on earth. Left in a basket at
strangers doorstep when eighteen
months old; recognized by an uncle
and reclaimed by his father after he
had lived with his foster parents six
years; cast adrift on the waves of
fortune once more at sixteen; driven
from place to place into nearly half
the states in the union seeking his
mother, and being repudiated by her
when he finally located her in Leav-
/ enworth-these are the chapters Of
young Hess life. Hess is in Leaven-
/ worth now only to try to make his
mother believe in him and take him
/ back at least for the once so that the
mystery that has chung to him all his
/ life may be cleared and cast by.
/ In the Grant hotel, where the young
adventurer has been living since he
arrived in town the last time, a re-
porter found him last night. The
boarders about the place. who have
taken q great liking to the young
man, were seated near him in the
lobby trying to teach him the in
/ tricacies of q card game, at which he
seemed a novice.
Hess is a brawny young fellow,
slightly over medium height, with a
rather womanly face and kindly blue
eyes that lighted up and grew penSiVe
again as he told simply and without
| SELF onscfousne ss the romantic story
! of his strange career. Hess was
more than reticent about himself. His
| mother had spurned him, and he felt
1t keenly. yet he would not at first
talk Of her. He says she lives in
Stillings' addition, and he claims there
is not the slightest doubt Of her
identity.
Hess Life Story.
After long persuasion Hess finally
consented to tell his story, which is
given as nearly as possible in his own
words:
IT was born at Bethlehem, six miles
from Sanborn. Pa When I was
eighteen months old I was left in a
basket on the doorstep of Adam
Walls of Sanborn. He and his family
six months old. Then by accident I
found out where my father was. By
mere chance an uncle of mine came
to a stock sale in Sanborn one fine
morning and recognized me. The
likeness to my mother drew him
toward me. Finally he walked over
and said, Young fellow, who are you 2
I answered that I was the son of Mr..
Walls. There was q consultation be-
tween my uncle and Mr.. Walls and it
was not long until knew that my real
father was living at Pierce, Pa, some
twenty-eight miles away, and soon I
G was returned to him. Ny mother had
left him for a reason I cannot know.
I have four sisters and three brothers
living
} Told of His Mother.
/ The narrator paused awhile as
though rapt in the contemplation of
, what had been. He looked up present
: ly and continued:
'eI remained there until was 9
, years old. Later In life my father
l gave me my mothers picture and told
: me much about her so that some day
: I might find her and know her when
, found But 1t was not until 1902
February of that year-that I started
out on my long quest. Across the con-
tinent to San Francisco, back to Den
l YER then to Omaha and finally to
Leavenworth. my quest led me.
I found out through an aunt, Mrs. Clara
Pierce, Of Pomona. Kan, that my
t mother was living here and that was
= why on May 13, 1902, came to this
! city"
Called Her Mother.
S He ceased speaking again to observe
netting in the lobby.
/ Whether I have found her? Yes
= don't know why or just how. It has
never been quite clear to me, but
found her. When the Burlington train
/ that brought me over from East Leav-
enworth stopped at the depot platform
May 10, 1902, I stepped off and there
l
I had found her. She did not know
was coming. If she had, probably she
would not have been there. But
recognized her at once from the pic
ture. I had studied it many a time.
-' went up to her and called her mother
= She threatened to call a policeman
s | saying that she was a decent woman
. | which she no doubt is and that I was
: insulting women on the street. I tOlc
I, her to call the police and she finally
: did. We went to police headquarters
! and there told her who I was.
: Travelled With Circus.
1.-THE welcome might have expected
q ! and dreamed of through my long
= search was not forthcoming. She in
vited me to her house and after at frs
/, refusing I went out She had al
adopted boy there. We could never
get along together and 50 in June
= when the boy died I came in from tbs
= country again to see her. She wanted
! to adopt another boy and left. II
= September I went to Nebraska CITY
= and remained until December, when
j came hack to see whether we coulC
=
.