The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-06-01
Samuel Davidson Meets His
Long Lost Father in Ham
mond Police Station.
is FEARFUL GREETING
Efforts of Faithful Boy Crowned
With Success Through Assistance
of Chief Rimbach.

After an absence of nearly six months
during which loving son hunted high
and low, working nights and travelling
about day times. snatching a few
hours of sleep when he could, to find a
trace of an erring father, the reunion
was brought about this morning at the
Hammond police station, where father
and son clasped hands and later left
arm in arm, the father to take up his
home once more with his faithful boy.
Six months have passed since Au-
gust Davidson. once a prosperous resi-
dent of Hammond but since moved to
Chicago. dropped out of sight of sons
and daughters. and since that time he
has been an inmate of various jails, not
for any serious offense but merely for
his love of liquor. He had a good po-
sition in Chicago before he fed, but
the curse of strong drink ruined his
chances and thoroughly disgusted with
himself. the old man broke away from
all and started for new scenes where
he hoped TO conquer his appetite for
liquor. He did not wish to burden his
family any longer with his worthless
self and so he took this means of fad
ing from sight.
Although the old man was a con-
stant care to the household. the sons
remembered that he had been a good
father to them when they were young
and they did not consider him the least
burden in his old age.
Samuel Davidson the elder son, with
his wife, Immediately made a canvass
of Chicago and suburbs in the hope of
finding some trace OF the old man, but
all was in vain. Young Davidson was
working nights as switchman on the
railroad and snatchiRg a few hours,
sleep in the morning he would soon
start out on the trail of the missing
man. Many times he wandered off on
false clews and many an anxious hour
he put in, looking at the remains of
some unfortunate in morgue and hos
pital
Thinking that perhaps the old man
might try once more the scenes with
which he was familiar in Hammond, the
son last April told his story to Chief
Rimbach.
That official soon found that the
father had been before him. The old
man had landed in Hammond in March
after wandering about the country, and
was locked up on a charge of drunken
ness. He was released but soon again
was in the tolls and this time he was
fined, and being, unable to pay, was
sent to Crown Point to work out his
fine. The son arrived just in time t
learn that his father had been through
his jail term and had been released
Further search led the young man tc
Gary. whiting and East Chicago. but
without avail. In the meantime the
father. after being released from jai
at Crown Point. found employment
with a farmer near by and was work
ing hard to conquer his falling. Chie1
Rimbach discovered the old man this
morning and brought him to the police
station At 10 o'clock he sent a tele
gram to the son in Chicago and a
1870 the boy walked into the station
house where he saw the old man await
ing his coming.
With tears in their eyes the father
and son clasped hands and after ex
changing greetings, the old man tear
fully told the story OF the wandering'
from town to town, hungry and poorly
clad. lighting his fight against drinl
alone, spending nights and days il
tau and in police stations. After pro
fuse thanks TO Chief Rimbach and tbs
police of Hammond for their work il
bringing them together, arm in arm th'
happv pair left for Chicago where, un
der the care of a loving son and daugh
ter. the old man will continue to maxi
his fight under better circumstances.