Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1922-05-12
CROWD HUNTS FOR
WARDSB0R0 BOY
Leon Scranton Became Lost and
Was in Woods Over Night
Called Late Next Afternoon at Joseph
Goodell's House in East Dover, About
Eight Miles from Home.


Much anxiety was felt i'm the Wards
boro section because of the disappearance
Monday night of boy known as Leon
Scranton, whose real name is Leon De
camp but who .has lived in the family OF
Ethan Scranton the past year, although
not legally adopted.
Searchers were out all night, covering
the pastures and woods, and next morn
ing the search was continued with re-
newed vigor, 100 or more men from that
and adjoining towns who were notified by
telephone joining the searching party.
Sheriff Frank j.. Welman, who was
located at county court in Newfane, was
notified that morning of the boys disap-
pearance and was asked to help locate
some bloodhounds to put on the lad,
trail, but the boy appeared safely in East
Dover late that afternoon.
Leon Scranton is nine years old. The
family lives about mile and n half from
Wardsboro, towards West Wardsboro
the house standing about half mile
from the main road.
Monday night about o'clock the boy
was sent after the cows, the pasture be.
ing about half u mile away. As he had
not returned at o'clock Mr.. Scranton
went to see what had become of him and
found the cows but saw no sign of the
boy He hunted in the pasture until 6
O'Clock and then summoned neighbors
who searched all night Having found
no trace of the child the Searchers largely
augmented their forces next morning.
At the suggestion of Judge Stanley G.
Wilson, who is presiding Mt county court
in Newfanc, where Sheriff Welman and
some of his deputies have been engaged
the sheriff and deputies went there
Tuesday afternoon to help in search fol
the missing boy.
The first news of the boy came when
he called at the house of Joseph Goodel
in East Dover about $50 O'Clock Tues
day afternoon. He raped at tn,
door and Mrs. Fannie Powers, who keeps
house for Mr.. Goodell. answered the call
She asked at once if he was the Scran-
ton boy who was lost, and the boy re-
piled that he was Mrs Powers took
him in and at once began telephonng t.
let the people of Wardsboro and sur.
rounding section know that the boy haC
been found. AS soon as possible Mr.
Scranton sent for him and had him taker
home.
To Mrs. Powers the lad said he could
not find the cows, which he was sent tC
drive up about q clock Monday eve.
ming, and in looking for them he lost
his way and darkness came on. He
wandered about as long as he could see
badly frightened, without coat or hat
and then lay down to spend the night
in the woods, but where he did not
know.
In the morning he resumed his tramp
which it is thought took him over White
hill, through a big wilderness in the sec
ton where the bear hunt took place a
year ago last fall. He told Mrs. Pow
ers that he called at two places fol-
something to eat, but apparently no
body lived in either house. He said he
had not eaten anything since dinner
Monday noon. He was very tired and
hungry, seemed somewhat frightened
and was very glad to get back among
and was ready to return home wher
called for The Goodell place in Eas
Dover is seven or eight miles from the
Scranton place in Wardsboro.
About the middle of the Afternoon
Sheriff Frank L. Wellman and Deputies
B. A. Whittemore. T. II. Metcalf anC
Raymond Pratt arrived at the Scranton
ing preparatory to going in another di
rection. After the officers had obtained
all the facts in the case the party
started out again, the officers and SOM
of the men going toward Wardsbor,
City, covering a section that had no
been covered before.
1t was pre-arranged that if any trace
of the boy was found three revolve
shots should be fired. After time tn
officers party came upon fresh bea
tracks, and the thought came to tn
men that the lad might have gottel
mixed up somewhere with bear anc
cubs. As 6 clock approached, how
ever, thew heard three revolver shot
fired at Wardsboro City and everybOd
assembled there as quickly as possibl
and learned the circumstances.
Many of the men were footsore AM
weary after their lone hunt over rougl
country. hut they said they didn t car
so long as the boy was all right.