Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-06
MYSTERY OF MISSING
BOY MAY BE SOLVED
Continued from Page ono

day, when the police found that boy
seen on Wednesday in company with
man walking on Woodland avenue, near
65th street, was not Richard Meekins.
Since last Saturday, 1t became known
today, the detectives assigned on the case
have turned their attention from the
many streams near the Meekins home,
where at first Il was thought the boy
may have been drowned.
Every detective assigned to find the
Meekins boy feels certain that the boy is
alive and uniniured. They believe he is
somewhere not many miles from the yell
low sand pile at 61st street and Elmwood
avenue, where he was last seen on the
afternoon of November 20. The house or
place where the boy is today. detectives
admitted, hasn't as yet been located.
As in all missing cases, the detectives
have reRived countless clues. A large
percentaN of these clues have failed to
materiallzs Other clues as yet haven't
been Investigated.
Should the clue which centres about n
person who has a fondness for the miss
ing boy develop, the police said today,
respects will sound stranger than the
most thrilling of detective tales. In the
present case, to use the expression OF
one Of the detectives 1t Is necessary TO
wait until MIR --- falls off his guard"
The man referred to hasn't made any at
lfIilDA W lGdNt Allt Guy Ills movements
on the day that Richard Meekins van
ished are still being investigated.
REWARD THE MOTIVE
The motive for kidnapping the Meckins
boy by the man now under suspicion
may have been to receive n reward either
from the city or probably from wealthy
sympathizers, according to the police,
When Warren McCarrick, the son of .
South Philadelphia politician. vanished
more than year ago, Mayor Blanken-
burg issued a proclamation calling upon
the citizens of Philadelphia to assist In
finding the boy. This proclamation was
accompanied by reward of $1,000 The
reward was never paid because the boys
body was found in the Delaware River.
Many times since the Meeltlns boy dis
appeared the man who is suspected OF
knowing something of his whereabouts
has repeatedly urged that the city should
issue "a reward for the finding of the boy.
Besides maintaining watch on the man,
who they hope. will be instrumental in
returning him to his mother, the where
abouts of several employees of the Atlantic
Refining Company's plant, at S2d street
and Passyunk avenue, are being looked
up.
The boys grandfather, James Holt, at
whose home the Meckns family reside. Is
u foreman at the Atlantic Refining Com
pany. Ele is known as strict disci-
plinarian. \ theory that the boy may
have been kidnapped by employees who
were discharged within the last few
months is being investigated But Mr.
Holt contended today that he has no
enemies, either at the plant or in the
neighborhood where he lives.
WENT OUT TO PLAY.
Richard Meekins vanished almost in the
same manner hundreds of children
vanish daily In large and small cities. |
He came home on the afternoon of Mo- |
vember y from the Bartram Public School, /
at South 6lst street and Woodland ave- |
nue., and kissed his mother He then |
went out to play. Richard, according to |
his mother, always played with his |
brother, James Meekins, 6 years |
old.
The spot where Richard decided to seek
recreation Is a pile of yellow sand at |
South 6lst street and Elmwood avenue.
This place is located almost within a
stones throw of the Meekins home. He
arrived there with his younger brother
a few minutes after 8 o'clock. To be
exact, he arrived there about $3.50 p. m.
The time is fixed by a woman who lives
in the neiEhborhood. She knows the miss
ing boy, and when he reached the sand
pile she happened to look at her watch
because she had an appointment TO meet
her husband at $3.50 p. m.
James, the younger brother, went home
soon after he arrived there. He told his
mother that he had left Richard playing
IN the sand pile. The mother went out
% get her boy. When she arrived there
he boy was gone. She questioned sew
.ral other boys, They told her that they
lad seen the boy in the company of two
negroes. The negroes were arrested, but
ater honorably discharged. After the
discharge of the negroes attention was
urned to many streams which are To-
lated near the Meekins boys home. 1t
vas thought that probably he might have
allen into one of the streams and been
lrowned. Every stream has been dredged.
MOTHER FRUSTRATED.
The father of the boy is Luke Meelxins.
mechanic. He and his wife have been
married IL years They have always
ived happily. Mrs. Meekins is Frustrated.
She said today that she didn't expect TO
i've through the week II her boy wasn't
ound.
mo one but a mother can understand
low | suffered since Richard disap-
1eared." said Mrs. MeekIns. 81 do not
;now where he is, All know Is that my
owed one is gone. The police have been
lere many times. and have answered all
questions / feel that l will die inside
II a week If Richard isn't returned TO me.
do not suspect any one. The police
rave asked me whether thought a rela-
i've might have taken the boy away. l
amt understand why the police should |
hink that a relative figures in this case
All our relatives were fond of Richard. 1t
$ an insinuation to suspect that relatives /
nay be mixed up in this dreadful case.
will gladly forgive the man or woman
Who took my boy away If he is returned
% me-"