The San Francisco call., 1909-05-29
LAD Of TENDER
AGE PUTS END
TOEXISTENCE
Boy Of Fourteen Years Hangs
Himself After COnfessing TO
Theft OF Money
Tragic Fate of Oscar MOebus,
Who Had Stolen Five Dol
lars From Playmate
ISeeeiel Dapqteh 10 The Call

lSpeciol Dispatch 10 The Call
OAKLAND. Nay 2s-Oscar Moebus.
a year old student at the Evangeli-
cal Lutheran california Concordia col
lege Eighteenth avenue and East Fif-
tcenth street, hanged himself in a gar
rel room in tie college building this
morning after he had confessed the
theft OF IS from another boy. He was
dead when the principal Of The col
Ieve. Rev. IT, Jonas. entered the room
and fouad the body with the legs
heddled up al the knees. swinging from
the end CT FIRE escape rope.
The despondent child had evidently
fastened a moose about his neck as he
stood upon the hoor and then delib-
erately kneeled 10 ms death.
ROY BAD BEEN ADMONISHED
I. It was only about an hour before the
ody was found that Rev. H Haserodt.
pastor OF the Trinity Lutheran church.
which had ad5oined the school, had
talked with the boy about his mis-
deed and had admonished him 10 re-
pent and lead Christian life The
little fellow threw mis- arms about the
minister's neck and huddled close TO
him as he listened TO his words OF re-
proof. but when the visit was ended
he frightened up considerably and
spoke OF a desire TO see his father.
Last sunday afternoon oscar Moebus
attended baseball game at the cor
ner of Forty-6rst and Market streets
While he was there Albert Thesis. an
older boy. who was playing in the
Same. asked him 10 take care OF his
purse
STEALS FROM PLAYMATE
Young Moebus consented. but before
tlc game was over he left giving the
purse To Otto Thesis. younger
brother of its owner When the con-
tents OF che purse We're counted il was
found that s. was missing. and the
other boys al once suspected Moebus.
They communicated their suspicious to
the principal Of the college. who. know
ing THAI the boy had on two former
occasions been accused of theft, made
search of his room. In his coat
pockets he found 81
Then tae child was accused of taking
ei.r money. but in spite of the dark
NLt cast 4lE AElAAtl ~
and remained firm in his denials until
Yesterday morning. when Principal
Jonas ordered him 10 80 into solitary
confinement in his room in the garret.
After this the principal declares that
the boy assumed a defiant attitude and
became bold in his assertions of inno-
cence. But yesterday morning, during
visit from Rev. Mr.. Haserodt. he
broke down and acknowledged that he
took the money.
THE CHILD's CONFESSION
II did not mean to take so much. -
he sobbed really did not know how
much ] had taken until afterward 7
simply reached into the purse and took
a coin. which I thought was a quarter.
When j took it out of my pocket later
I found that it was a gold piece 7
don't know why I took il. except that
] wanted some mOny and I couldn' {
Withstand the temptation"
Rey Mr. Haserodt says that he did
acs cnide the child hut pleaded with
him to repent of hfs error and live
according TO the teachings of the bible.
IEc visited the penance room again this
morning about 9:45 O'Clock. and found
Oscar apparently IN a brighter frame
of mind.
FEARED EXPULSION
k1p boy knew. however. Il3t he
wouId probably be expelled from the
school when the board of trustees met
tonight. as he had been warned pre-
riously that he must not again trans
Fress the rules.
on two prior occasions oscar had
been accused Of pilfering money.
once. Principal Jonas says, he con
fessed to the theft Of 30 cents from a
family with whom he was living. and
again DE was held responsible for mis-
anpropriating money which his father
bad sent him TO pay his school ex-
penscs.
WAS ADOPTED CHILD
The boy was a foster child Of Rev.
r. Aoebus. an Evangelical Lutheran
riniste- living at Lime. near Paso
EObles He was adopted when an in
faDt bv Rev Mr. Moebus. who arrived
n this city tonight 70 take charge OF
the remains.
Albert Thesis the owner Of the
purse from which the money is alleged
10 have been stolen. is son Of George
/ Theiss a teacher in church school
at the corner of Twelfth and Myrtle
streets. He and Oscar AIoebus had
been acquainted for some time. and
he voluntarily gave the purse 70 the
younger boy for safe keeping when he
decided 10 take part in the ball game.
The Thesis boys are nephews of Rev.
john IT, Thesis. pastor of Zion German
Lutheran church in this city