The Mulberry Tribune – Issue #3 – Brad Michael, Writer

Everything was going well for Mulberry Day, except for the Tucker family.

If you haven’t read Issue #1 yet, please check it out here:

June 19th, 1995

A Tradition that Keeps on Thriving

This past Saturday, Kinsley Park hosted the annual Mulberry Day celebration, where people gathered to enjoy food, drinks, and live entertainment from the Ryeman brothers. For 112 years, the town has closed down for the day to celebrate the meaning of being a Mulberrian and enjoy the festivities, culminating in its stellar fireworks show at the end of the night.

I took my friend, Lisa, to her first Mulberry Day experience, and she loved everything it had to offer today. “I could feel it in the air,” Lisa says, walking past pop-up tents, watching everyone around, wearing a balloon hat made by our newest addition, Bo-Bo the Clown. “There’s not one person here who doesn’t know someone. I feel too much like a foreigner, but yet—I feel like I’m at home.”

The people of Mulberry couldn’t agree more, Lisa. This does feel like home!

While most businesses are particularly closed for the day, a few opt to stay open. Some business owners say it’s one of their busiest days. Take Arnold’s Sweets, for example. For people to cool off on this hot June day, you would go right down the road, find Arnold’s Sweets right there at the end, and grab yourself a soft serve ice cream. For a moment to sit down, Arnold’s seating gives you the view of the Hunchanock Creek roaring by.

The children tend to spend most of their time at Arnold’s, while their parents spend their time shopping at our local vendors out at the Kinsley’s parking lot strip. Our local Craftsman Club Members all come out during Mulberry Day to put out their best work to sell. You have Joe Freeman of Steely Joe’s Homemade Tools, Sweet Tooth’s by Barbara Maisely, who won May’s bake-off, Daniel’s Pottery Plants, and much, much more.

It’s an exciting time, and for those who have missed it this year, you can be sure that next year will be no different. In fact, I’ll bet you it’ll be bigger and better than ever!

June 20th, 1995

Missing: Julius Tucker

Locals in Mulberry have spent the last few days searching for a missing child, who didn’t come home.

Julius Tucker, age 8, was last seen on Saturday, June 17th, at the Mulberry Day festival. His last known whereabouts were at Arnold’s Sweets with a few friends from school.

“He just loves to hang out by the creek there,” Julius’s father, Jonathan Tucker, had told me, “Half the time, you can see him knee high in the water there in Hunchanock Creek. He’d be there trying to catch fish swimming down the stream all day if you let him.”

Jonathan and Patti Tucker remember their last time seeing their son that day: when they handed him a five-dollar bill, and he left with his friends to buy himself some ice cream. “When he asked for money, he mentioned Jeremy’s father was going to watch them. I figured Bob would keep an eye on the kids–he’s always helping out, and that goes the same for me for his boy.”

Jonathan then explained that before his son left, Julius said he would watch the fireworks with Jeremy’s family afterwards, and would take him home right after. But then eleven o’clock hit, and no car pulled into the Tucker’s driveway. The fireworks, at that time, were already over an hour ago, and Julius hadn’t returned home.

”Something was off once the clock hit eleven,” Jonathan said, “Bob has never failed to pick up or drop our son off whenever our boys got together. So, when I called Bob shortly after, he picked up the phone, asking why I was calling and if everything was alright. I remember answering, ‘Bob, you were supposed to bring my son home after the fireworks, remember?’ And that’s when my heart dropped, when he replied, ‘Julius was never with us, Jon.’”

The conversation was short between Jonathan and Bob. Mostly Jonathan recalling his conversation with his son before they left for Arnold’s, at which Bob replied, “I thought you were watching our kids? That was what Jeremy told me.”

Jeremy came back to his family afterwards to watch the fireworks that evening, but Julius was still missing, and Jeremy didn’t know what had happened to him.

It was after that call that Jonathan went to get Patti and search for their son. When they returned home late at night with no luck finding Julius, they called anyone they could think of who may have seen him that day, but no one was able to relieve the couple of their worries. Neither Jonathan nor Patti got any sleep that night.

“He’s a good kid; never disobeyed a thing we’ve asked him to do. I just hope we find him soon. We just want our boy home.” That was all he could say before he had to step away to hug his wife. Patti declined to speak during my visit.

I spoke with Officer Mark Robinson of the Mulberry Sheriff’s Department about Julius Tucker’s disappearance–his comment on the case was confident. “Our team has been searching throughout the town and out in the forests since the moment Jonathan came into our office first thing on Sunday.” From longer shifts to K-9 units, Officer Robinson spoke about the first 48 hours of the search, but with no reward of finding a lost boy.

Officer Robinson would not be remiss if he didn’t mention the help from others. “Most of the people in this town have helped out greatly. Even Hank Ingram, who has taken much of his time away from the town itself to help out a family in need. Get his hands dirty–that’s a leader.”

If you have any information or know about Julius’s whereabouts, call the number listed below.

In this newspaper issue, the number to call with any information has been ripped out. Maybe they know where Julius is?