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“The Body of Missing Girl Found”

03 Wednesday Jun 2020

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The mystery of what happened to Jane Hanrahan, a former servant at the Duane Street lodging house, comes to an end, as reported in the June 3, 1894 edition of the New York Tribune:

The Body of a Missing Girl Found.

The body which was found on the beach at Governor’s Island on Friday has been identified as that of Miss Jane Hanrahan. Jane was twenty years old, and was a caretaker at the Newsboys’ Lodging House in New Chambers-st. On March 26 last Jane cut off her hair and mysteriously disappeared. Nobody was found who could account for her strange action, through her family declared there was foul play. From that day until Friday, when the body was found, not a word was hear of the missing girl. Her features were unrecognizable, but she was identified by means of her clothes.

Mrs. Hanrahan and others said yesterday that Jane’s life was insured in the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

 

“Youngsters Shiver in Park Fountain.”

27 Monday Apr 2020

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From the April 27, 1902, edition of the New York Tribune:

Youngsters Shiver in Park Fountain.

City Hall Bathing Season Formally Opened By Mickey the Angel.

Mickey the Angel, “Limpy” O’Brien, Spotty Puckerino, “Ginny” Murphy and “Spuds” Carrano, Park Row newsboys from nine to thirteen years old, formally opened the bathing season yesterday afternoon in the Tweed fountain in City Hall Park. There was a large and watchful gathering, but no “cops.” All the boys were barefooted, and most of them were burdened only with trousers and shirt.

“Youse ain’t going’ ter welch, be youse?” asked Mickey the Angel in a tone of supreme disgust as he led his Spartan-like band to the fountain and noticed that Carrano and Murphy held back.

“Aw, gwan,” said Murphy, peeling off his shirt and divesting himself of his trousers. This was a movement that all understood. There was a twisting of arms and legs, kinking of backs, and suppressed exclamations as the boys went through their lightning change act. Then five somewhat soiled and skinny young heroes clambered up the side of the fountain.

“O-o-o-o-ch, golly, it’s cold,” chattered Mickey the Angel.

“Souse down, y’ lobster,” said O’Brien with a great show of courage, as he ducked into the water and then shivered.

Puckerino, Murphy and Carrano, encouraged by the cheers and laughter of the crowd soon went under the water, only to look scared and pained as they realized how cold it was.

“Stay in! Stay in!” yelled the unsympathetic crowd, as the lads clambered out of the fountain.

There was no response. The boys knew when they had enough. Just as they darted for their clothes, some one yelled:

“Here comes a cop!”

It was a false alarm from a boy so dastardly mean that probably he will never be mentioned for the Presidency. It startled the shivering quintet, however. Carrano corkscrewed into his trousers and pulled his shirt on over his suspenders. Murphy carried his shirt across Park Row before putting it on, and all the boys showed a celerity equaling Sheridan’s cavelry at the battle of Winchester.

Five pairs of dripping, shiny legs twinkled across Park Row to a grating over a warm pressroom, the great homebound crowd soon swallowed them up and they were lost to view—but the bathing season was formally opened in City Hall Park.

“Risks Life to Rescue A Newsboy”

09 Thursday Apr 2020

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From the New York Tribune’s April 9, 1899 edition, a daring rescue:

Risks Life to Rescue A Newsboy

William Welch, a newsboy, fell into the North River yesterday while trying to reach the string-piece outside the Quebec Line’s pier, in order that he might watch the steamer Trinidad enter her slip.

Michael Hays, a hackman, employed at Savage’s Livery Stable, No. 194 Sullivan-st., seeing the boy’s danger, jumped in and succeeded in getting hold of him. A rope was thrown to Hays, and this he tied around the boy, who was pulled out by men on the pier. In the mean time Hays himself was drawn beneath the pier by the force of the tide and was in danger of drowning. He just had sufficient strength to fasten the rope thrown to him around his body. When they raised him to the pier he was in an unconscious state. He was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital.

The deed was commented upon by those who saw it as a heroic rescue. Had it not been for Hays the boy would undoubtedly have been drowned.

 

“Saved From A Pauper’s Grave.”

16 Tuesday May 2017

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From the May 16, 1905 edition of the New York Tribune:

Saved From A Pauper’s Grave.

Newsboys Contribute to Buy Plot for Fellow Newsboy.

“Dutch” Johnson, a Park Row newsboy, was buried yesterday in a flower covered grave in Middle Village, Long Island. His body was saved from Potter’s Field by the pennies of fellow newsboys. Thursday night “Dutch” lay ill with pneumonia in the Newsboys’ Lodging House.
“I ain’t goin’ to weaken’ jus’ ’cause I got to cash in,” he told Superintendent Haig [sic], “but it ain’t ecksactly a happy thought ter t’ink I’ve gotter be planted up there in the Potter’s Field.”
Superintendent Heig assured him that he would not have a pauper’s grave. That night “Dutch” was taken to Bellevue, where he died a few hours later. As soon as the other boys learned of his death the hat was passed around by Jack Kelley, who stands at the Brooklyn Bridge. Jack has a persuasive voice and hands, and not a boy refused to contribute. In a few hours $36.40 had been gathered from 143 contributors, and $17 from the Paper Handler’s Union. This was turned over to Superintendent Heig, who bought a three-grave plot, enough money being left to purchase a modest gravestone. The body was buried at noon, with a few of the boy’s friends present, Superintendent Heig readnig [sic] the prayers.

“Newsboys Will Bury Comrade.”

15 Monday May 2017

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From the May 15, 1905 edition of the New York Tribune:

Newsboys Will Bury Comrade.

Raise a Fund Which Will Save “Dutch” from a Pauper’s Grave.

Frederick Johnson, who lived for years in the Newsboys’ Lodging House, at No. 14 New Chambers-st., and who died in Bellevue Hospital last Friday, will be buried to-day in Linden Hill Cemetery, Brooklyn, by his former comrades. Johnson, who was known as “Dutch” by the newsboys, died from pneumonia. He came from Germany seven years ago, but where his parents live is not known.

Superintendent Heig and John Paul, leader of the Newsboys’ Band, will superintend the funeral arrangements and the boys will act as pallbearers.

“Christmas Appeal, Children’s Aid Society”

10 Saturday Dec 2016

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From the December 10, 1907 edition of the New York Tribune:

christmasappeal

THIRTY DOLLARS will place some homeless child in a carefully selected family home in the country or will enable us at our Farm School to train a homeless street boy for farm life and fit him for an honest living.

ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS will provide nourishing hot meals or furnish shoes and warm clothing for the poor boys in our Newsboys’ Lodging Houses and Temporary Homes. We as for gifts, large or small, to make a merry Christmas for the children of the poor and to maintain the general work of the Society. Checks may be made payable to A. BARTON HEPBURN, Treasurer, 105 East 22nd St., New York.

WM. CHURCH OSBORN, President.                  C. LORING BRACE, Secretary.

“A Newsboy’s Progress”

10 Thursday Nov 2016

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From the November 10, 1901 edition of the New York Tribune:

A Newsboy’s Progress.

Goes From This City to Louisville, Where He Organizes a Newsboys’ Club and Becomes A Stenographer.

“About four years ago,” said Superintendent Heig of the Newsboys’ Lodging House yesterday, “a boy named Herman Felten stopped at the lodging house. He became a regular attendant at our night school and at the Sunday evening meetings. As he had friends in Louisville, Ky., he wished to go there, and we sent him. He has since organized a newsboys’ club there of which he is the head.”

Mr. Heig received a letter from Felten a few days ago, which was as follows:

It is so long since I last wrote you that mayhap you think I have forgotten you and the Brace Memorial Lodging House. But, no; the lessons I learned and the kindnesses that I received are indelible impressions on my mind—effaceable only by the tragedy of death.

I am now no more the humble newsboy, shouting “Extree! All about the terrible murder!” but a plain stenographer. With the money I saved from selling papers I took a course in a business college and graduated, and procured a position as stenographer.

Inclosed [sic] is an extract from one of our papers regarding myself which may interest you and the boys in your charge. The personage of whom I spoke is but a second Charles Loring Brace—a man worthy to be emulated and honored, and, being emulated, makes the doer happier and of service to his fellowmen; and being of service to one’s fellowmen is a type of love that uplifts the soul to the pedestal of a better life.

This letter was written by a boy who only four years ago was selling newspapers in this city, and much less than four years ago was pursuing the same occupation in Louisville. The newspaper clipping mentioned is from one of the Louisville newspapers, and states that at the “Thompson memorial services of the Newsboys’ Home, held at the Elks’ Home last evening, many interesting addresses were made, of which the most novel was by Herman Felten, the crippled newsboy who stands at the corner of Fourth and Jefferson sts.” The paper went on to say that the address was considered remarkable from a boy so young, after which it gave the address in full.

Felten’s speech was a tribute to Judge R . H. Thompson, the one to whom he referred in his letter as a “second Charles Loring Brace.” The judge had been friendly to Felten when he was a poor newsboy and in actual want, and had helped him through his difficulties.

“She Fled Without Her Hair”

27 Sunday Mar 2016

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From the March 27, 1894 edition of the New York Tribune:

 

She Fled Without Her Hair

The Strange Disappearance of Girl Who Cut Off Her Tresses and Carefully Left Them on the Bed.

Jane Hanihan, twenty-one years old, who had been employed as a chambermaid at the Newsboys’ Lodging House, at Duane and New Chambers sts., for the last sixteen months, was reported missing yesterday at Police Headquarters by her mother, who lives at No. 12½ Washington-st.

The girl slept at the lodging-house with the cook. About 5:30 o’clock yesterday morning she arouse and, without giving any explanation, cut off her hair, which she left on the bed, wrapped in a paper. She then left the building, with a black sacque thrown over her head. No trace of her has since been obtained. She wore a black skirt and button shoes.

Jane’s mother was seen last night at No. 12½ Washington-st. She said her daughter was a girl of good habits, and, so far as she knew, Mrs. Hanihan feared that her daughter had met with foul play, as she had no reason to believe that she had made away with herself.

Mrs. Heig, the matron of the Newsboys’ Lodging House, said that she knew of no reason why Jennie should go away. It was learned from several of the employes [sic] of the Lodging House that on Sunday morning there had been some trouble about the quantity of milk put in the coffee when it was made. Jennie, by accident, put in much more than was necessary, and was called to account for this. Jennie was a sensitive girl, and she and another girl, named Ellen Prochen, sent out and bought milk enough to make up for the loss, paying for it with their own money. For several days past Jennie had been feeling down-hearted. On Sunday evening about 6 o’clock, she met one of the men employed about the building, and asked him if any of the drugstores were open. She said that she wanted to buy some paris green, but she did not go out at that time.

Some friends of the family declare their belief that the girl committed suicide.

“Waldorf Room at the Newsboys’ Lodging House”

17 Friday Apr 2015

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From the New York Tribune’s Illustrated Supplement on April 17, 1904:

Waldorf Room at the Newsboys’ Lodging House

Some Picturesque Characteristics of the Little Fellows Who Sell “Uxtrys” in the Streets of New-York.

Whatever the newsboy may lack in appearance, he has a bottom all the instincts of an aristocrat. Let the sunshine of prosperity beam on him even for a moment, and he buds with the true flowers of a patrician. If he makes a couple of dollars by the help of the Japanese fleet, whose latest manoeuvres has furnished him with a startling bit of news, he spends his money with a lavish hand. instead of a box at the opera, he buys tickets for the “gang” just beneath the grimy roof of some Bowery theatre.

A striking illustration of the “newsies” latent gentility is furnished by a new feature of the Newsboys’ Lodging House, near Chatham Square, which has been called the “Waldorf room.” Although plenty of white, clean beds were to be had in the two big halls for 5 and 10 cents a night, yet an exclusive circle of newsboy society demanded apartments of great privacy. Some of them had obtained work in nearby business houses, where they were enjoying incomes of $10 and $15 a week; and as “Dutch Pete,” who is now loading delivery wagons across the alley from the lodging house expressed it:

“W’en you’se got de wad, you’se might as well lif’ like a gent. An’ yer can’t be a gent widdout piracy. yer can’t mix up wid de bunch and perserve yer rights as a gent.”

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“Newsboys Telegraph President.”

16 Monday Feb 2015

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In honor of President’s Day, an article that appeared in the New York Tribune on February 13, 1906:

Newsboys telegraph President.

Answer Message from Him While They Were at H. D. Weekes’s Lincoln Day Dinner.

Four hundred happy “newsies” ate turkey and cranberries and lots of other good things yesterday at the annual dinner given by H. Delano Weekes, the attorney, at No. 14 Chambers-st. Letters of regret were read from President Roosevelt, Mayor McClellan and others. At the close the boys asked Mr. Weeks to send a telegram to the President, and the following was sent:

The boys of the Brace Memorial Lodging House of the Children’s Aid Society, who are assembled this evening to celebrate the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, respectfully send their thanks and express the deepest gratitude for the President’s kind letter just received. His remembrance of us will never be forgotten, and will always help us to be good and loyal citizens.

Signed, “Kid” Betts, “Lise” Adams, “Sunny” Jim, “Kid” Biscuit and “Canalboat” Joe.