The Washington times., 1908-12-06
Thomas Dawley Disappear
ed in June, and No
Trace Yet.
NOT FIRST TIME
HE'S HIT TRAIL
Police Notified, But Well-to-Do
Father Has No Fear of
Harm


and Iatterly. by reason OF
the new child labor law. a motherless
Washington lad OF twelve, Is somewhere
today lighting his own battle, while the
police department and well-tc-do
father. arc seeking him again 10 extend
all the comforts OF a luxurious home
Foi. three years Of his young life has
the spirit Of the wanderIust bes2 upon
Thomas Michael Dawley, son of Thomas
NJ. Dawley. Of 17l4 X street, who IS en-
pIoyed in the Department Of Commerce
and Labor. During these three years
the twelve-year ClS has been the hero OF
adventures concerning which veteran
globe trotters might boast and which
surpass the feaJs o. HUckleberry
Finn. At times he has returned 20 the
parental roof. only TO cnafe at re-
straint, to hark again to the can Of the
world beyond. and 10 seek. through
travel and yicissitudes the satisfaction
of the wanderlust that made the things
at home seem commonplace.
Gone Six Months
1t has been near six months now since
Thomas last left home. saying that he
would not live in any city where a
new-fangIed child-labor law prevented
work At first his disappearance caused
no great uneasiness among those
familiar with his vagaries, but IS the
DAYS and weeks went bv, the father
became alarmed. and the countrywide
search was begun Finally. he has Civ
en- up his single-hande5 battle, and has
asked the police 10 intervene. postpon-
ing this request as long as he might.
because he disliked the nOtOTiety-
dent, saw the American forces conquer
the Spauiards in Cuba, and has been on
the scene of action in a number OF
Instructions in South America. yet the
tales Of danger and daring furnished
by his truaut son are just as thrilling
as many ef the events heE aassea
thr"1Sh ir soreiEu lands, Wssssnsie RS
lived 20 relate on lecture platforms.
The yoUngstcr combines the Qualities
OF a youthful prodigy with his love OF
adventure and his Unsuitable wander
lust At the age OF six. he could read
and write with ease. At ten, he was
living In hotel I'm a distant city. pay
inE his own board. working I'm law
yers office by day and learning the
printing trade b. night.
Takes His Brother.
\ year before he deserted his fathers
handsome home he took his younger
brother, erected a tent not three squares
distant and for three weeks escaped
detection as he mockingly watched the
efforts OF those who sought to appre-
hend him. During the time he and his
brother sold papers. and as a business
proposition the escapade panned out n
distinct success.
Declaring that his schoclmates forced
him to smoke and chew tobacco. and
that his letters containing complaints
on this score were destroyed, ne left a
school at Bristow. Va Within six
months after his tent escapade. he
piloted his eight-year-oId brother back
10 Washington under cover Of dark
ness
The final leave taking came six
! month sagO, when he said good-by to
/ the Working Boys Home, go c street
! northwest, telling his brother that ne
would not tolerate the child labor law.
/ Light-haired. rudd. checked, and plain
/ spoken. the youngster, according to mis-
/ fathers description, is a normal type Of
/ Young America with a highly developed
( ability to take care OF himself. Full of
mischief, but not addicted to running
/ or for the sake Of novelty, ne knocks
/ around the world with all the sang froid
I Of a young man. He asks no sympathy
nor charity and expects no quarter.
In Strangers Care.
Nfotherless since infancy he has. along
with his younger brother. who has
| shared many Of his adventures. and two
/ sisters, been left largely in the care OF
strangers while his father was travelling
/ in connection with his work
/ The first disappearance OF the bov oc-
| CURED three years ago while his father
was living at 1903 Twenty-first street.
with his two boys and their two sisters.
I aged fifteen and fourteen. respectively.
II was then II At he rugged up a tent at
/ n vacant lot near Eighteenth and L
! streets and sold papers.
Z Meanwhile Mr.. Dawiey. ST., had insti-
tuted a search in various cities. not neg
Iecting outlying points in washington.
but failed to investigate the Immediate
8 neighbOrhoOd- The police were not no.
/ titled because it was feared the esca-
pade might get into the papers. the
same reason for the delay IN putting
Officers on his trail after his disappear
ance las June.
Wouldn't Face Music.
The boy gave as his excuse that IL
had played some youthful prank on bis
sisters which he knew was wrong and
/ wasn't going back 10 his father and
"faie the music
When. a few months later Mr.. Dsw-
] ley was called Il make a tour of the