The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-07-17
He CARRIED The AMERICAN
FLAG
Edward Welch, Who Claims He Was
Turned Out of House and Home,
Walked to Honesdale Sunday
His Outfit Was Meager, But
NeNerthelesS Patriotic


Nevertheless Patriotic.
Ragged, tired and dirty, Police
j. ]. Canivan picked up a lad 13
years old Monday morning on the
Delaware and Hudson railroad
track who gave his name as Edward
Welch and claimed he came from
Aldenville.
Young Welch told a pitiful tale,
which If true, was hard lines for a
grown person to go through The
lad, 1t appears, had been working
for man in Aldenville. who on
sunday, it is alleged, told young
Welch to pick up his duds and get
out" This was Sunday morning.
The lad, whose father died about 12
years ago, and whose mother is at
the poorhouse, with no one to COM
fort or advise him, picked up the
few clothes he had. The outfit CON
sisted Of one shirt and pair of over
alls asidesfrom what he had on his
person. His clothes were worn and
torn. His shoes had seen better
days and from their appearance
never saw shoe brush or blacken-
ing from the day the shoes were
bought. The coat was in rags and
the shirt torn. His trousers con-
sisted of an overall jumper with a
bib. In one pocket he carried an
extra pair of overalls and in the
other once clean shirt. In an in
ner pocket carefully tucked away
was a miniature American flag. The
lad thought the world of the beauti-
ful Stars and Stripes and displayed
the flag with much honor and pa
triotism. In the same pocket was
colored comic section of a Sunday
newspaper.
Young Welch, after being turned
out of home, started walking toward
Honesdale. The man with whom
the lad lived during the past five
years took him from the poor farm
and agreed, so Welch said, to give
him . cents per day to work for him.
This the lad said his employer fail
ed to do.
Trudging on with a heavy heart
through the thick dust the lad came
to the home of Mrs. O'Dell, Promp-
ton. She took compassion upon him
and gave him something to eat. Af-
ter telling his story he plodded on,
following the telegraph poles,
which led him to Honesdale. He
reached the outskirts of the town
about dusk and fatigued with his
long and wearisome walk fell along
the wayside near the railroad track,
where he remained all night.
1t is stated that some persons heard
a man or boy crying at different
times in the night, but could not
tell from what direction the sound
came.
Monday morning Chief Canivan
went after young Welch Children
in the neighborhood gave the lad
bread to eat, but instead of eating
it, Welch threw the handouts upon
the ground, refusing to touch them.
The chief then brought the young
lad to the court house and turned
him over to Sheriff F. c. Kimble's
custody. 'Wayne's big-hearted Of
ficer, who would never see any one
suffer and who is always ready and
willing to lend a helping hand, lis
tened attentively to young Welch's
pitiful story, examined the contents
OF his pockets and then took him in
TO his home. Here soap and water
were used freely and the young
tourist was made as clean as possi-
BILE. The sheriff gave him a good
big meal and turned the lad over to
District Attorney Simons. Mr.. ST.
mons asked young Welch if he knew
where his mother was and he re-
piled that he did. After talking
with him the district attorney told
him he had better go to his
mother. Young Welch then
left the house of justice enroute to
Brookside Farm, which place he ex-
pected to reach sometime during
Monday afternoon. In the meantime
District Attorney Simons telephoned
Steward Harry Bunnell that young
Welch was on his way to his place.