The Short, Lavish Reign of a Newsboy King
After finding a purse filled with gold and bills on a Seattle street, a young newsboy went on a spending spree that briefly transformed him into the wealthiest, most generous kid in the neighborhood.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Miss Rosa Stannus of Tacoma lost a purse containing $52 on James Street last Thursday. It was found by a newsboy named Henry Collins, who lived at 613 Lewis Street. Upon seeing the contents, the boy turned to a friend, John 'Red Cap' Sellers, and declared, 'I'm rich!' The two boys went on a wild shopping spree at local stores, buying a gun, a banjo, and two Waterbury watches with brass chains. They then proceeded to a bakery, where they gorged themselves on custard pies and cookies, tossing the excess into the street. Henry played the part of a wealthy gentleman, hiring 'Red Cap' to carry his new gun. When Henry returned home, he paid his mother's meat and grocery bills in full. His mother was astonished by his newfound fortune and, upon learning it was found money, she set out to return it. She tracked down 'Red Cap,' reclaimed the goods, and went to the stores to return the items, recovering nearly all the cash. Miss Stannus, impressed by the boy's honesty, later rewarded Henry with $5.
“Henry played the wealthy gentleman, and hired 'Red Cap' to carry his gun for him, giving him 50 cents.”
This story reflects the stark, immediate nature of childhood poverty in 1892 Seattle, where a small purse represented enough capital to settle household debts. It echoes contemporary discussions about the precariousness of working-class families and the high cost of living in the city, though today’s 'spending sprees' are rarely funded by found gold on the sidewalk.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.