The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-11-30
LOCAL MATTERS.

from the counter OF tne DOCK store OF MT II hein-
ingham, on Friday evening last, came before his
honor yesterday. James Williams and Robert
| Heath, two other boys of the ages Of 10 and IL,
were also arraigned confederates of the COM
missouers of the theft Young Joe still persisted
in saying that the book was handed to him by Rob-
| ert Heath. James Williams stated that Joe stood
OUTSIDE the door, and Heath and himself entered
Mr. KS store, Heath taking the book and he
| (Jsmes) stealing three or four song books worth
about twenty-five cents. When they came out,
| Heath handed the book to Joe. Heath's testimony
| was to the same effect, and that ice came with
them to the store and received the large book Joe
| was proved, therefore, to be an accessory to tbs
theft, and the tro in default 1890 security EACH
were respectfully commi tied to Jail to await exam
ination at the Grand Jruy term of the Hastings
Court, to be held In February next.
There are now five boys confined in the city Jail
for misdemeanors, and this addition will swell tie
number to eight, of lads between the ages of and "A
| years. We have already adysrted to the evil
Citations to which these youths will be subjected by
| confinement in the jail with hardened and mature
criminals. 1t will be to them perfect school in
crime, where lessons of profanity and wick edness
will be taught them By their older companio ns In
visw of the awful fate which await these chill.
dren in sin, if allowed to grow up in their depravy
the fate the felon and, perhaps, of the murder
crit does appear to US that some proper and sal
| utary mode of confinement and educ alton shout
be adopted with regard to them, than that afford
| ed in sjail with its necessary evil Influences.
Ifin no other place. a portion of the city Poor
House oughtto be set apart for their training, mo,
rally and physically. They should be educated and
trained up to become useful members of society
! and not criminals If we had the long mootci
| workhouse, which edifce, by the way, has become
kind OF social and philanthropic viii o the wisp
st one moment supposed to be at hand, of cree
| tion at another, glimmering and disappearing in
the distance, disappointing the many rueheart ed
reformers among US who had fondly hope ed to wit
ness its speedy uprising-then portion of the edi
| fee gould be conducted on the plan of the house
Of refuge, or reform, for juvenile denquents that
has been SO successful in its reforms.ory opera.
tons during the last 80 years in New York city,
and these novices in crime could be taught useful
| employments and trained up to become exemplary
| citizens. We would here remark upon this point
of illustration, that the New York House of Refuge
| has during the last % years, rescued over 500
children of both sexes, from the haunts and prac
tises of crime; large majority Of that number,
doubtless, ii there had been such institution of
moral and physical training would have been lost
to themselves and others, ruined for time and eter.
nty and fated by the law Of their moral nature to
spread wherever they should go, the leprosy of
| evil. Repeatedly have the youths. saved by this
| institution, from horrible life, expressed In
| after years their great obligations to its man
ayers. With reference then to these Rich.
| mond youths who are new lying in jail, We say
| that humanity and principle. demands that TIE
city should take charge of their present and future
training. These eight boys are but a 1.-THE of Il
gangs well known to our officers, who are prowl.
ing about the stores during the day, and places Of
public amusement at ight to steal whenever they
can get chance. They are the children often of
| drunken, vicious, and hardened pare nts-the off
| spring often of crime, and they should be taken
care ofand reformed by virtuous commu nifty
Some effort Of the kind then, to which we have
alluded, should be made for the reformation of u-
| venile delinquents. They should be separated
| from older criminals and the mild and saIutaIy
discipline of the parent should be enforced over
| them. Reformation should be the object of their
| training and they SHOULD be subje cted as in the
New York House Of Refuge, to a routine of duties
| having mental education, moral improvem ent and
mechanical skill. By order Of me thod, their habits
| would thus be made to undergo great change. In
the language of excellent report upon the refor
nation Of juvenile criminals, sat such tender age,
| past impressions not inefacesble, and custom,
| assisted by principle, soon change character
When again the juvenile delinquent goes Into the
wo1 Id to take his place among man, he goes with
| out the brand Of infGmy on his brow. His mis-
| deeds have been forgotten he starts stresh from
new and equal platform his former associate ms
hsve been ruptured; the haunts of vice not IA
miar; he has an intelligence that has been cult
waited he at least recognizes the principles of yir
tue and right he has the cunning of his right hand
| T. furnish him with honest means of life. To the
| world he has been slumberer, and the world has
| an opinion to form Of stranger
"He knows that it rests with himself to deter.
mine what that opinion shall be, and light, and
knowledge, and habits are between him aud evil
| The boys could be bound out sent to sea, &C.
| cordng as they might prove tractable and we'll
| disposed.
We earnestly press these desutory suggestions
In relation to youthful criminals, upon the after.
| ton of the corporate authorities. The time has
| come when they can longer, without an utttr
disregard of duty and of the teachings of a COM
| mon humanity, suffer the poor erring children of
crime to survive for months the communicating in
fuence of the jail The Jail is being crowded with
them, and they to be found in every street and
alley in city. Are We not responsible fos the
| future action OF these unfortunate misguided chill
| dren.
RroTIoUs.-A free negroes named Mary Jano
| Weaver one of the creek nation, living in the rear
! Of the Mansion House, while drunk Sunday night,
undertook to illustrate the science of spiritual
knockings upon the person of another e5o named
Jane Gibson. Jane responded, murder was cried,
| and beth were Gagged. Yesterday Jane was set at
| liberty and Molly received Is lashes. and was com
med to Jail In default of 500 security to keep the
| naara nsu oscars paua and yyilkinaon az, Tho