From the September 27, 1907 edition of Washington, D.C.’s Evening Star:

NEW YORK. September 27.—Ralph Bonneau, the sixteen-year-old boy who went to the Newsboys’ Lodging House in New Chambers street a short time ago with a hard luck story, disappeared yesterday with $15 belonging to E. J. Abele of 18 Rose street. The boy told Supt. Heigh [sic] that he came from France ten years ago with his uncle, Robert Bonneau. They had lived in Chicago, the boy said, till two years ago, when his uncle disappeared, and after that he had supported himself by selling newspapers. The boy could not name any of the streets in Chicago, but Mr. Heigh [sic] decided that he came of a good family and put him in the apartment in the Newsboys’ Lodging House known as the Waldorf-Astoria.

Then Mr. Heig got him a job as an errand boy for Mr. Abele. At first he was paid $2 a week, but he did so well his salary was raised to $4. Yesterday morning, Mr. Abele says, he gave $15 to the boy and sent him to make a purchase. He has not been seen since.