The following stories appeared on the front page of the January 20, 1894 issue of the Chicago Daily News:

“Seven Young Prisoners – Judge Freeman Refuses to Hear Their Cases Before Seeing Their Parents

Among the prisoners arraigned before Judge Freeman to-day were Alex Wolf, Barney Samson, Sam Sichlestine, George H. Moore, Ed Johnson, William Marquardt and Tony Angelo, boys ranging in age from 9 to 14 years.

Each of the diminutive prisoners had been indicted by the grand jury on Thursday on charges of larceny. In all cases the larceny had been of the most trivial and petty character. Judge Freeman looked at the little fellows as they lined up in front of the bar like a kindergarten class and remarked:

“I don’t know what to do with these prisoners. It is a shame to confine them in the county jail, where they will probably receive their first real lesson in crime. The majority of them are too young to be sent to a reformatory such as the one at Pontiac.”

Then the judge called up Willie Marquardt and asked him if he was guilty of theft .

“Yeth, thir,” lisped Willie. “I dond it. I stole a hat, I did.”

“I want the parents or guardians of these boys brought into court, “ said Judge Freeman. “I would like to know if the parents of boys of the age of these cannot control them. I will pass these cases to next Monday and in the meantime I desire that the parents of the lads be notified to appear here.”

The juvenile culprits were hurried off to the boys’ department of the county jail to await the arrival of those who are supposed to be liable for the boys’ actions.”

“Death of F.G Goodyear – A Commercial Traveler’s Peculiar Demise at the Saratoga Hotel

Frank G. Goodyear, a commercial traveler for the Dr. Scales Pills Co., died at the Saratoga hotel this morning. It is supposed he took a dose of morphine with suicidal intent, although medical opinion states that alcoholism was an important factor in the death.

Goodyear had been missing from the house which employed him for nearly a week. As he was a dipsomaniac considerable fear was felt for his safety. Yesterday he registered at the Saratoga. At about ten o’clock last night he came in somewhat the worse for drink, it is said.

About 12 o’clock a belated guest passing through the corridor noticed a man staggering about and muttering incoherently. He at once went to the office and informed the watchman.

As he did so there was a sound of breaking furniture and a general disturbance. The watchman, hastening up-stairs, found the door of room 613 open and, running in, found Goodyear lying on the floor unconscious. The furniture in the room was scattered and broken.

Thinking it was a case of ordinary drunkenness, the watchman put Goodyear to bed and returned to his duties, paying no more attention to the occurrence.

At ten o’clock this morning a chambermaid, entering the room, found Goodyear in bed, apparently asleep but breathing very heavily.

Dr. Tallman of the Great Northern hotel was summoned. When he arrived the man, still unconscious, was breathing his last. He died a few moments later and the body was taken to Sigmund’s morgue.

Dr. Tallman gave his opinion that death was caused by morphine and possibly alcoholism, although there was no odor of drink upon the breath of the dying man. Upon the right temple there was found a bad contusion, which of itself was sufficient to cause death. It is supposed that this injury was caused by falling heavily upon a projecting piece of furniture.

Mr. Goodyear lived in Hastings, Mich., and leaves two children. His wife is not living and his aged mother presided over the house in his absence. For the last eight months he had been traveling for the Dr. Scales Pills company, whose offices are in the Unity building. He was a man about 38 years of age, tall and fine-looking, with dark hair and mustache. W.L. Wilkins, manager of the Dr. Scales Pill company, said this morning: “I have known Mr. Goodyear for twenty years. He comes from an excellent family.”

Goodyear should have had with him a large trunk of samples. This is missing. The only effects besides his clothes were about $1 and a satchel.”

Here’s Frank in the 1880 US census for Hastings Michigan before his marriage.

Are either of these front page stories part of your family history? If you know what became of the boys who were arrested, or the identity of Frank’s wife and daughter, I hope you’ll share their stories with my readers and me.