Evening star., 1909-03-12
MADE SON, TOO, BEG FOR him
McDONALD'S RECORD REVEALED
IN PITTsBURG LETTER.
Boy Made to Sell Rattle Tickets-Ar-
rested So Often He Could Not
Count the Times.

That Frank Mcdonald. recently found
guilty in Baltimore of forcing eight-year-
old Florence Speakman of Washington to
beg on the public streets. had previously
set his own son to similar work Is indi-
Gated by records in the office Of the board
of charities
Secretary George 8. Wilson today made
public letter concerning Mcdonald re-
ceived some months ago by the board Of
charities. This communication was writ
ten by the chief probation officer Of the
juvenile court Of Pittsburg and gives in
formation CLEANED there.
The letter says:
II write to warn you against man by
the name of Frank S. Mcdonald. who may
apply to some of the institutions In WASH
ington for a child. We lad his son, Los
ter Mcdonald. in our detention room last
week, arrested as a vagrant. The boy
tells us that his father compels him to
sell rattle tickets for articles which either
do not exist or are never raf11ed Off, and
that he compels this boy, Lester, to travel
all over the country doing likewise.
THE boy has been arrested so many
times that he cannot count them. About
three months ago he was arrested in
Camden, N j., for selling rattle tickets
that time Mrs. Edna X. Van Hise, the
probation officer. took him into her own
home. He ran away from there about
month ago and came to P1ttsburg.
II have been corresponding with Mrs
Van Hise She believes the boys story
is true concerning his father.
1.-The Mcdonald family lived in Pitts
burg formerly Information we have
been able to get from any of their for
mer neighbOrs confirms the boys story
Lester tells us that he is sure his ia
ther will apply to some institution for
child, now that he has been cared for by
the juvenile court. and that his father
as he compelled him.
Lester gave US the address Of his step
aunt. Mrs. Lena kumpf. 4o44 Penn
avenue. this city. We interviewed her
cial delivery letter from Mcdonald telling
her he had applied to an institution in
the east for a little siX-year-old girl, and
asked her to give him good name and
not to tell that he had a son of his own.
She says that indeed she will not give
him a good recommendation. She tells
us that Mcdonald makes as much as SO
day selling rattle tickets which are
worthless.
Last week 1 had a letter from Nc
Donald, who had seen in the paper that
Lester was in our charge. He wrote me
telling me that Lester was bad clear
through and hoped that we would do
something for him
Il wrote him asking MIN now mucn ne
could pay for his boys support in a prop
er institution. I also wrote to the chief
of police in Philadelphia asking him to
look this man up and find out what they
could do about him.
II received reply from him saying
he had received my letter and in regard
10 his boy, Lester. Mcdonald had said
he thought a great deal of him. but he
was a bad boy, and that he did not know
what to do Or say in this matter. He
did not want me to send him to a re-
form school. but would like TO have ME
care for him for about two three
wears, but that he could not afford TO
pay anything for him, and to please ad-
wise him what could be done
Lester tells me that his father some
times goes by the names of Churchill,
Miller, Johnson or Bernard"