The sun., 1917-12-17
RELATIVES TELL or
II MISSING HEROES

A little girl OF IL years opened the
door Of An apartment at 254 West
Twenty second street Last. night In re-
sponse to a call OF Sun reporter who
was there to learn something OF the
history OF Private Francis Joseph Upton
of the First Reserve Engineer Corps. re-
ported as missinssby Gen. Pershing.
~ am Frances Upton" she said by
way "t introduction. land Mr.. Upton is
my father"
The reporter seated himself in
family group consisting Of Uptons wife.
Jennie his son. Leo. Is years old an
other daughter, Hazel, ~. and the
soldiers father, William Cleary Upton,
who is -.
we don't believe anything serious has
happened to papa" said Hazel. land We
Just refuse TO worry about it-that IL, all
except Mama" and she looked wistfully
across the room where Mrs Upton was
bravely smiling.
MY husband" said Mrs. Upton. tell
ing a piece OF news that THk sun re-
porter hadn't known. was the first man
on the New York police force to Join the
coiors, and hl was such a brave man.
and such a kind. loving father that We
can't think that anything has really hap
pened to him."
"As Brave a Lad as Lived"
81 am sure. too" said the soldiers
father. who was holding Frances on his
knee. that Frank will turn up some-
where. He was as brave a lad as lived
and lucky. And ! don't think his luck
has deserted him. :h!nk he's been
! h,,t
that he was one OF those men who they
said grabbed a gun and got into the
thick of It."
BIT by bit the reporter learned the his
tory of the policeman-soldier-fa father that
gave up all tho happiness that man
could want in this world to serve his
flag.
Upton. II seemed. was horn in Linn
erick, ireland. and was 80 years old. As
a boy he studied all the time and could
speak six languages, among them being
the police force seventeen years ago. and
almost from, tine start distinguished him.
self by deeds OF daring and exhibitions
Of unlimited courage.
Known 40 "the MIDGET Cop."
Although OF small stature. so that he
was known to his fellows by the sobri-
ouet of "The Midget Cop" he was very
muscular, as several denizens Of the Gas
House district, where he was stationed
for years, discovered to their sorrow.
! At ono time he grappled with n
! burglar at Is Abingdon Square. and In
the night that followed both fell to the
/ sidewalk from fire escape. Upton
held on to his man. but when help came
he was taken to st. Vincents Hospital
where he lay III for weeks. Because OF
his linguistic ability he was given q
GOOD deal of detective work and was one
! Of the sleuths employed to run down
and arrest Dago Frank and Whitley
Lewis. in the Becker case.
Recentiy he wrote to his family that
he was becoming "an expert dodger.
but told them not to be frightened a'
he was sure he would get through al
riaht. His father laughed when he told
how "Frank" had run away when ht
was Is years old and Joined the Navy
"Hs vac always Grassy about the army
or the navy" he said.
/ Frances, the youngest girl. has beer
doing her bit" at war relief basaar'
and fairs by dancing, while Hazel re-
Gently received a scholarship from the
Manhattan Trade School for Girls fol
desgnipg.
Al tie home Of Charles 4. GeoEhegar
nj 5iI West isbth street. who was at
.sched to tire Reserve Engineer 'orps