Friendless

Even knowing that he grew up to be a cold-blooded murderer, I can't help feeling sorry for the eight-year-old Richard Chapman, sent away from his foster home in the winter of 1921:


(Click on image to enlarge)
From the Hobart News, 24 Feb. 1921.

I haven't heard of any illness or other trouble that would make Louis and Gertrude Dunham unable to care for the boy. The problem may have been that they were at their wits' end in trying to deal with his behavioral problems; years later, Louis would testify in court about Richard's "early tendencies toward crime and his peculiarities."

I do not know exactly where this "Home of the Friendless" was, as that name was not uncommon for charitable institutions. A 1905 Chicago directory of such homes mentions two with "Home for the Friendless" in their names, and Chicago was a convenient distance.

Anyway, with Richard gone on Friday, he could not be blamed for the vandalism at the school the next Monday. From the wording of that news item, I get the impression that there might have been specific suspects for that and the earlier crime.