The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-08
In Zero Weather the Little Chap
Spent Night in Car.
FEET WE'RE FROZEN.
Says Father Dropped Him Out
of a Window in Train.
Tells Story Of Mistreatment by
His Inhuman Parent.

Hutchinson, Kan. Jan. S.-Blg and
strong as you are. how would you have
liked a night in boxcar with but a
few wisps of hay as bedding, with the
mercury near zero. You probably would
have objected. Neither did Master Har-
vey Roy Johnson, years old. like it
but he did it all the same.
William Dellinger. a car repairer for
the Rock Island railroad. heard the
sobs of child as he was passing along
the rip track a block east of the
depot. Making examination. he found
a little authenticated. dirty faced boy
scantily clad, in the car, sobbing pit
eously.
The little fellow was taken into the
depot: He was clad only in a blouse,
stockings and shoes. Tears had wend-
ed their way down his dirt discolored
face. making ugly rivulets. His hair,
which later proved a pretty auburn
curly tresses, was matted and he was
pitiful looking object
Travellers Render First Aid.
His presence in the depot, when he
ton. All Of the women in the depot
at the time suddenly developed strong
maternal instinct and became much in
terested in the youthful chap. They
formed a figurative ladies' aid society
and by their joint aid. the boy that
shortly before was most forlorn look
ing, presented a somewhat respecta-
Bile appearance. When his toilet was
completed, the little man actually smil-
ed, showing that he had pluck.
However. it was found that his con-
dition was serious. The chubby feet
had swollen to twice the natural size.
In the meantime. Mr.. Dellinger, who
found the child and who has children
ON his own, looked jealousy on. He took
it to his home and there it was fed and
nrOVidad with clean clothes.
1t looks like a clear case of aban-
donment The officials. thinking posi-
bly, that the child had become lost
ard climbed into the boxcar of its own
the line. No word could be heard in
Identification.
He Is a Bright Little Chap.
At the Dellinger home he is now a
different looking boy from the one found
in the railroad yards. With clean face
and hands. clean clothes and his dark
brown curls smoothed down, his big
brown eyes sparkling. he was indeed
pretty boy. He was playing in the
kitchen with a miniature wagon, when
the reporter called to see him.
My papa put me out of the car Win
dow" he said. He was a bad man.
Then I tried to get on again and the
conductor put me off. My papa, mama
and brothers were on the train, too.
But I'm glad to get away from them.
l don't want to go back. Tney were
mean"
Master Harvey spoke as intelligently
as many a person much older. His
| language was very good and he does
not seem to have lived with people ig-
norant or squalid. But it is plain that
he has been mistreated. A livid red scar
on the pretty white cheek attracts ones
attention.
That's where my papa hit me with
a hot poker" he said. He did it on
purpose, too, just to be mean. He
slapped me, too, before he put me off
the train. My papa and mamma
were both black. had two papas
and two mammas and they were both
niggers. I lived in a big house and
there were lots of other colored peo-
pie there, too. Mamma said that bad
| boys were at Topeka and that was
a bad boy and was going there. But
| I was a good boy all the time, but
they beat me when 1 was good. They
beat me anyway"
Too Young to Explain.
Not the least trace of colored blood
! can be detected IN the boy. There is
no doubt of his parents being white.
! But he is too young to tell any story
straight. He answers all questions
but his answers conflict greatly. He
spoke of living at Topeka and of go