Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-19
BOY GIVES POLICE
CLUE IN SEARCH
FOR CHILD SLAYER
Detectives Say They Will
Arrest the Stranger of
Eight year old Albert
Kraft Before Nightfall.

Kraft Before Nightfall.
The arrest of a man suspected Of being
the slayer of s-year-old Albert Kraft, Of
1887 South Fallon street, whose body
was found beneath sewer arch early
this morning at seth street and Gibson
avenue, will be made late today.
Announcement to this effect was made
at the 56th street and Woodland ave-
nue. station by detectives after they had
questioned a young companion OF the
dead boy.
The lad who furnished the informa-
tlon that directed the suspicious of de-
tectives to the man now being hunted is
s-year-old Frederick Sykes, of 1443 South
Fallon street. Sykes told the detectives
that he had frequently visited the home
of an old man near 5Sth street and
Grays avenue and made other dis
closures that resulted in the decision to
arrest the man.
SUSPECT LoITERED IN NEIGHoR-
HOOD.
So far the detectives at work on the
case have not been able to learn the
name of the man under suspicion. Sew
eral stories have been picked up in the
search for clues since the body of the
boy was found, they say, and all point
in the same direction.
The old man was seen lettering about
the nsighborhood of the spot where the
boys body was found several times in
the last two weeks The police say he
has frequently attempted to lure boys
into the woods
Detective Emanuel with special police
men OF the district, left the 65th street
and Woodland avenue station shortly
after o'clock this afternoon with young
Sykes, who volunteered to lead the party
to the home Of the suspected man.
They found that the man was not at
home and the house is being watched in
the expectation that he will return In
the meantime other policemen of the
district were sent out to scour the neigh
borhood for him.
Examination of the body and of the spot
In which 1t was found indicate that the
Child managed to crawl out of the sewer
after his assailant fed, He then died
from the effects OF his injuries and ex-
posure.
Andrew Groome, a PENNSYLVANIA Rail.
road brakeman, of 57l1 Regent street.
found the body at 7.3O o'clock this morn
ing.
Groome notified the police. They were
e
scrlption furnished by the parents of the
child, who reported his disappearance
when he failed to return home last night.
HID FROM sCHooLMArEs.
The boy left his home yesterday after
returning from the Woodland Public
School. 18th street and Woodland ayenua
with Frederick and william sykes. Of
l44S south Fallon street. They went along
= branch OF tho Reading Railway run
ming to Eddinston to pick coal. At
O. o'elook the Sykes boys returned to their
home. They told Mrs. Norwood Kraft
that her son had hidden himself some
where and they could not hnd him
The body was taken home this morning
after 1t had been identified by the par
ents. The point at which II was found |
Is some blocks away from any dwellings, !
and is hidden from the view OF pedes- !
trians on Gibson avenue and other streets |
nearby.
The Reading Railway. from 54th to 5sth |
street, runs along high smbankment |
and the archWay runs under this II was 4
built originally for a mill race. Tbe |
stream has been turned into a sewer.
DIED OF EXPOSURE.
Beneath the wide hasstonss forming
The bottom OF the archway, however /
here Is about three feet OF Staznsnt
The boy under the arch, stranRled him 10 /
and then pulled un ons
)t the nag stones and thrust the body
iown into the hole
Groome found the body at the edge of
he aperture, The boy had climbed out
after his assailant fed. but was unable
70 go further and died probably OF ex-
)oauTs.
When the body was found the trousers
ana coat were gone. The trousers were
found a short distance away from NJ
arch but the coat has not yet been dis
oovsrsd.
Detective Belshaw, Of ths murder
squad. was hurried to the scene AZ soon
IS a report OF tho murder reached City
Han. BY inquiry among friends OF the
dead boy he learned that an old man
had been seen lettering about the neish-
oorhoow, trying TO lure boys into ths
ISOLATED country ia that neighbOrhood.
znorts are being made 10 ma this man
md question HIM.
News OF the murder spread quickly
bout West Philadelphia this morning and
'roWds Of curious persons went 10 the
pot where the body was found
DR.. Louis Dettair, OF 5sth and Vine
Itrsetl, was called In by the police when
he BODY was taken 70 the station. He
made an examination and declared that
ne boy had been stranBied. but would
lot say that Waa the sole cause of daath.
50 Tar the police have been unable 10
md any one who saw the boy after he
EFT the sykes boys They were closely
.uestionsd By tbs police ana detective
his morning. but we're unable 70 tell am
hing ere Kraft had gone They
aid he iply diaappszued, and th6F Be-
'eVed ha Vas hiding from them in fun
.lter searching fer him Tor soaae fflna
hey save R pD ana vent aaok to tas'I
.ozasI.