The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-12-20
|LEN MILLS FOR
| WICKED WILLIAM
|OId, Bad, Boy Stole A
Big Gun
n GRAHAM WATTS STORE; AND
AWAY AWAY, HE RUN-HE'LL
DO ITa NO MORE! "SURE, AND
AMT TT THE WI @ X Il ID
WORLD?n

Il
WORLD?"
II was going to hunt They
united me, instead of me hunting
Lbbits."
That was the only excuse William
8urger, a sturdy lad who says he is
burteen, but looks much older, had
offer Friday afternoon in court,
hen Judge Searle asked him why he
ole a gun from Graham Watts
ore in open daylight.
"You are charged" said District
|ttorney Simons to the youthful Of
bnder, with going into Watts store
nd stealing gun. Did you do it?"
Eyes, SIR" promptly owned up
aster William.
did you ever take anything
seq" questioned Mr.. Simons.
Not as l know Of" replied the
oy," only l took pair of gloves at
be Boston store"
Clad in overalls, collarless, with
nkempt hair, as he was, William
#urger quite won the sympathy of
&l in the court room, as he recited
response to many questions, the
ps and downs in his checkered ca
= Der of only fourteen years.
81 was fourteen years DID," he
bid, "the twenty-seventh of last
bonth. Mrs. Wood wrote and asked
by mother how old / was and she
rote back was fourteen. l was
en years old when they took me out
the Pittsburg Home.
my mother is living. Snes in
asst Stroudsburg. My mother and
hther parted. / was ten years old
hen Oliver Wood took me out of
be Home. / stayed there two
nd half years.
ears ago when / went to the Pitts
Id l was. Everybody says I'm old
am.
"Oliver Wood, of Damascus, got
be out of the Home. He had to
eep me until / was twenty-one.
J fter l left them / went to work for
Henry Gummoe, doing chores and
oing to school. / worked last Fall
md Winter for Fred Cottle of Ber-
In.
"I don't believe l set trap in
i
lad pipe, but it got broken when
hey had the racket in the Jail the
ther night. Yes killed a COW with
stone, at Fred Cottles.
81 came down from Woods to
Ionesdale. l was trying to get a
BIB. had no money. Woods didn't
Fant me. left them two and a
alf years ago. 1 didn't get but $5
month this Summer. I'could now
nilk and everything anybody wanted
ne to do. l was going to hunt
'hey hunted me instead of me hunt
ing rabbits"
1t was a pitiful story he told the
hewspapermen and county officials
'he offense for which he was arrest.
Fd and Jailed occurred November 28
Ind he was caught the following
Monday afternoon in Damascus
township, taken before Squire Will
lam H. Ham, where he admitted his
quilt and was committed to Jail un
Ter $500 bail to await the action Of
kourt.
81 can pretty near sympathize will
boy who wants a gun to hun
with" said Judge Searle, before sen
fencing the prisoner. But at the
same time 1t isn't the only thing
you've taken. We are sorry tha
kou wouldn't behave yourself. Wei
have to send you to Glen Mills, Del
hware County. That's a good hom'
for boy. We trust that when yol
get out of there, you'll make a goot
titizen. You were sent here from
Pittsburgh to good people"
i One of the county officials inform
Led the Court that Mrs. Wood toll
him William was bad boy, AM
hat she tried her best to make
1gdod boy of him. But William wa
Epossessed of a violent temper, an
they couldn't do anything with him
5tHe wanted a gun. He was bound t.
Have one. Lacking the money to bu
4bne, he stole 1t.
"Well this is getting to be wick
4 led world" remarked a prominen
5lawyer to a Citizen man after Cour
had adjourned.
1t always was; it always is; and
always will be.