THE DUTIFUL SON

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1928, Page 1

THE DUTIFUL SON

BERLIN, June 7. For nearly a week the parents of a boy of 14, called Otto, who lives at AA’eissensee, on the outskirts of Berlin, were very proud of therr son. He alarmed tho police when he found that a soap shop was on fire, and received high praise for his presence of mind, as well as the customary reward of five marks. His parents were greatly touched when Otto handed the five marks to his mother, telling her that as he could make no adequate return for all her affection, he felt that she should have the money, AVhat Otto’s parents did not know was that he had bought a skeleton key when he heard that his mother was going into the country with the proprietress of the soap shop on AVhit Aronday, that he unlocked the shop with the key, stole 60 marks, and lit a bonfire of paper soaked in petrol under the counter. All this he told the police yesterday. He also told them how' he looked tlirough the shop window to see that the counter was nicely on fire before going to the. nearest fire alarm. And with the confession the police have extorted have vanished Otto’s hopes of having a bicycle, for he has had to give back tlie GO marks which he had determined to hide until the time came when the connection betw'een the purchase of the bicycle and the fire would not be obvious. Otto will now go to a reformatory in the hope that his undoubted talent may be directed to some more useful thing than arson and burglary.