Hickory, June 23—Lying flat on his back in bed, swathed in bandages to protect the horrible burns that cover his body, James Yoder, age 15, still lives to do penance for his misdeed.
The boy was burned about 9 o’clock on the night of June 11th. He, with two other companions, are alleged to have gone to the Mountain View school garage where three Catawba County school trucks were stored for the summer, with the intention of stealing gasoline.
While one of his companions stood on the outside to watch and another entered the garage with him, Yoder crawled under one of the trucks to find the gasoline outlet, it is alleged. Failing to find it, he struck the fatal match that seemed to send the entire building up in flames at once. Before he could escape, the flames had taken their toll, say officials today.
Yoder is reticent about discussing the matter. He casts furtive glances at visitors. His mother says James was the best boy she had, and it was his evil companions who brought the misery to their home. She says the suffering boy has had to endure since the burning will be enough punishment for him without scolding words from her. The physician attending the boy says he will recover satisfactorily.
Sheriff Geo. F. Bost placed one of the other boys, who had been hiding out since the burning, under arrest late yesterday, and he was released after giving bond.
From page 2 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Thursday, June 24, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-06-24/ed-1/seq-2/
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