Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-07-16
YOUNG JOHN SULLIVAN
HAD OFFICIALS GUESSING.
Constable lamhsr's Protsse Told Dr.
ferent Stories, But Now He Prom
ises to be Good.


After preseting q Sherlock Holmes
problem to the charity officials of
New London and Windham counties.
mat they were beginning to think
could not be solved, John Sullivan of
512 Main street. New London. IL years
old. was suddenly confronted with his
real identity by Charity Commissioners
Goss and Rev. A. c. Northrup of Nor
wich, Wednesday afternoon says the
New London Day. The boy, who had
been dailying with the truth. to say
the least for some time, broke down,
ised to be good hereafter.
In identifying the lad. the mystery
OF the unknown boy who was found
m Occum by q constable about q week
ago, trudging the road in down.
pour of rain. is solved. News OF the
finding of the boy was spread broad
cast in the newspapers in the hope
that claim for him would be forth
coming. The fairy tales which he
concocted concerning his former home
and how he CHANGED to be in Occum
prevented the authorities from obtain
ing any tangible clue.
The constable who discovered young
Sullivan took him to his home for the
night and the following day turned
him over to Rev. Mr.. Northrup OF
Norwich, who provided him with a
temporary place OF residence. The
boy told Mr.. Northrup that his father
was railroad <Zan living in New
Haven and that he had sent him from
the Elm city 20 search for his mother
in Occum. His funds gave out in New
London, he asserted, and he walked
from there to Occum.
Investigation in Occum failed to
produce any trace of a mother to the
boy. Then the latter apparently de-
cided to try another tale and he an
nounced that he had been mistaken
in the place where his mother was
and he was now convinced that 1t was
in wtnimantic. Mr.. Nor4hrup accord
ingly despatched him to the Thread
city in care OF the Associated Chair
ties. There the boy told the woman
official in charge that he had beer
born in New London and that posi-
bly, some information regarding the
whereabouts of hts material relative
might be obtained there.
The o6icial kindly interested her
self in the case and on Monday
brought the boy here and consulted
Charity Commissioner Goss. The lat
ter had naturally never seen the boy
naturalization at the time. The boy
reiterated that his father was a rail-
road man now living in New Haven
Beyond that little could be gotten out
of him
Commissioner Goss felt certain the
boy was not telling the truth and he
advised his woman companion to take
him back to Norwich and again re-
store him to the care OF Mr.. Northrup.
In the mean time Mr.. Goss assured her
he would do everything possible to
ind out something about the strange
en- back to Norwich.
Early Wednesday morning Mr..
Northrup appeared at the office OF
Commissioner Goss, accompanied by
the mysterious boy. Since the call he
had received Monday Mr.. Goss had
an inquiry, as q result of which he
had ascertained that the father might
be former railroad man here or
he might be a man employed as bar
tender in Bank street saloon.
Mr.. Goss and Mr.. Northrup started
out on q personally conducted tour
which developed numerous obstacles.
The bartender would not be in until
O'Clock in the evening. The rail-
road man had gone to parts I'M
known. After numerous telephone
inquiries Mr.. Goss determined as a
prietor who he thought might be the
uncle OF the boy.
Mr.. Goss went to his place of BUSH
ness and asked II his brother had
a boy about IL years old. The reply
was in the affirmative. Asked IL he
would know the lad IL he saw him, the
uncle replied he certainly would. Then
the missing one was produced and his
uncle exclaimed. Hello, John, where
have you been?" This completed the
boys undoing and he was willing
thereafter to tell the truth.
His father. Patrick J. Sullivan, bar
tender ont 555 Bank street, is the faith
er OF three children. He pays their
board with Mrs. Hiram Keenep OF 672
Main street, where they have good
home. Young John. who is of a some
what high strung disposition, got q flt
OF wanderlust some weeks ago, and
disappeared just where his wander
tngs led him is not known. His first
known appearance was in Occum,
since zen his story is known.
He is now back with Mrs Keeney,
where he will be permitted to remain
so long as he is a we'll hahavod how