The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-12-08
BOUND FOR
fAR.OFF BORNEO
To- HUNT DIAMONDS
EXPEDITION COMES TO GRIEF
WHEN OFFICER COOK TAKES
A HAND IN THE CASE


While not a great many people
knew about it where the start was
made and not great many in this
city to which the youthful voyagers
were brought after their plans had
been interfered with and their ex-
pedition broken up, knew about it.,
still there was a real live and big
start made Friday on diamond
hunting trip to far off Borneo island,
the home of the original wild man
and the soil of which, according to
letters found on the boys, was sup
posed to be studded with great big
diamonds so thick that one could
shovel them up with a scoop.
The principals in the expedition
were Harold Bond and William Shep-
ard, two thirteen year old boys from
Greenville, who securing a shotgun,
rifle, revolver, supply of ammunition
and other necessary equipment and
supplies, started out on the trip Fri
day morning, instead of attending
school as their parents planned they
were.
The first trouble which they en-
countered was at the home of C.. A.
Armstrong, farmer Viving near
the Greenville road north of this city
Mrs. Armstrong noticed several
shots hitting the house and looking
out she saw the two Borneo-bound
youngsters, dressed in regular wild
west attire and with an over abund-
ance of fire arms strapped to their
bodies, shooting towards the house.
She told Mr.. Armstrong about it and
- o1f 10 foll ho hoxr- IN. rhHnf
in some other direction. They ans
wered him with a volley of profane
invectives the like of which Mr.. Arm
strong is all his many years had new
er heard equalled. He then started
to chase the boys away from his
place and they started away but mad
gone only few steps when one of
the de speradoos turned and blazed
away p the approaching farmer.
Luckily the shot did not hit Mr.. Arm
strong or moro serious consequences
might have resulted.
They next attracted the attention
of Chauncy Hubbard, over at Cooks
Corners. where they were entertain
ing themselves with shooting the
window lights out of the Cleaner
hall. Mr. Hubbard went out to stop
the boys and they told him where to
head in at right off the bat and as
result of their talk and actions, he
grabbed them and took them to his.
home and held them there until he
notified Special officer Elmer Cook
and the latter came out and brought
the boys in and lodged them in the
local Jail.
The boys were taken before Judge
Lapham and gave their names as
Harold Bond and William Shepard,
both thirteen years old and living at
Greenville. Besides the firearms
which they carried, some of which
were of antiquated pattern and had
been held as family relics and heir
looms for years, they had quantity
of leather which closely resembled
chamois skin and which they stated
that they had taken out of a Green
vile glove factory. One of the boys
was wearing a vest which he had
made out of a large piece of this
stuff. He had cut couple of holes
through it for his arms and had it
wrapped around his body.
On one Of the boys, Harold Bond,
was found the following note and
which had been written the day be-
fore in school. "Harold-Do you
want to go with me to the island of
Borneo to get some diamonds? If
so meet me tonight after school and
will tell you all about>it. If you
do not want to go / will get some
other boy. Signed, William Shep-
ard" Another paper which they
carried contained a map of the island
and the location of the diamond
country and also contained a list of
articles necessary 10 properly pro-
vision and equip the trip, being
mainly in the nature of guns, shells
hatchet, etc.
The boys parents were notified at
once and they stated that they would
be down and get them, but that they
should be held in the local jail until
the newt day provided the parents
did not get here that evening. The
parents did not arrive until Satur-
day morning at which time the two
mothers came and the case was taken
up before Judge Lapham and the
boys were given good lecturing,
the Bond boy breaking down COM
pletely and claiming that nothing
like it would ever happen with him
again and that hereafter he would
carry himself as he should, but the
Shepard boy brazenly sticking to his
determination that he would yet see
the island of Borneo before he got
through with it.
On leaving the room Mrs. Shepard
was heard to declare that she would
not bother herself further with Will
lam, but that she would have him
placed in the reform school for boys
at Lansing.