Evening journal., 1913-10-30
FINDS STRAY
TOTS In PERIL
in THE PARK
Walter TOmIinSOn Saves
Youngsters From Falling
Into the Race
LOST In DARK ON
WAY FROM THE zoo

Two small painted linen false faces.
one representing "darkey" and the
other a Chinama. purchased by Wal
ter Tomlinson. Of No. 2O6 West Eigh-
tcenth street tc amuse two small
children on Halloween night. we're
responsible for Melvin Huff
nal, aged years, anc Harry suitcr.
aged 3 years, being alive today. The
children were discovered by Mr.
.Tomlinson walking along the b. and
70. Railroad tracks on Tuesday night.
shortly before o'clock, within 2ve
feet OF the trestle which crosses the
race leading from the Bancroft mills.
just below Washington street bridge.
and in the darkness there Is no doubt
that had Mr.. romlinsOn not discovered
them when he did they would have
both fallen into the race and been
drowned.
MT Tomlinson, on his way home
tuesday night, stopped in store
on Delaware avenue and purchased
Two masks. with which he intended to
amuse two children in his home He
was walking over the Washington
street bridge when he thought he
would take out the false faces and try
them on, with the intention of wear
ing one of them when he entered his
house and scare the children. lie
tried on first one and then the other
and when he started putting them
back IN the bag he experienced some
diiliculty In doing so. so concluded TO
carry them loosely in his hand He
then walked to the railing on the
side of the bridge to drop the bag to
the Brandywine below. and as he did
so he got a glimpse Of something
white moving along the tracks
short distance below the bridge.
Looking closely he was Mortified to
see that il was two small children
who, at that distance looked almost
like babies, and he also noted that
they were almost upon the dangerous
trostle, which he knew was there.
The space between the ties along this
trcstlc is very wide. almost as much
as a man can do TO step across. and
Mr. Tomiinson realized that when the
tots reached the trostlc in the dark
ness they would undoubtedly fall
through
The sluice gates had been raised and
water from the Lea Mills and Ban
croft Mills was rushing along under
the trestle at speed that would i'm
mediately sweep the children into the
creek.
Knowing he had not time TO reach
them before they reached the
dangerous spot Mr.. Tomllnsou yelled
TO them to stop. The children stop
ped and looked back, and he told
them to wait untu he reached them.
His yells had attracted other per-
sons upon the bridge. Among them
were Ellwood Souder, Jr. and Ar
gyl Souder and he told them TO
watch the children while he ran
down TO them.
Tomlinson then ran around the end
of the bridge and went up TO the chill
dren Where have YOU children been p"
he asked as he reached them, and lit
tie Melvin Hufnal replied: We've
been mp TO see the old bear. but we
couldn't get him to wake up" Tho
children had been at the zoo and had
gotten lost on their way back.
Al this iuncturc Mr.. Tomlinson was
joined by Charles Yetter. son OF Mrs.
Nctter, who keeps a bakery shop on
East Fourth street who assisted him
10 carry the children 20 Mr. Tomlin-
sons home on Eighteenth street.
The tots were treated to a supper
at Mr. Tomlinsons homo and he
called up the police station and noti-
fed them OF his find. He was in
formed that the police were looking
for the children for several hours.
The police then turned the children
over to their parents who were nearly
distracted with worry over their alb
sencc.
The Hufnal boy is a son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Howard Hufnal at No 1871:
French street and Suiter Is the sor
OF Mr.. and Mrs. Lawrence Suiter. a
No. 1904 French street. The parents
had Nbout fifty persons in the neigh
borhood searching for the Youngsters
Mrs. Hufnal stated this mornin,
that her child had left the hous,
shortly after o'clock that night Z,
. go meet his father She later saw
him playing with the Suiter boy.