Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-14
ran RISING anNRRATIoN.
Arrest Of Twelve Juvenile Thisvss.
They Form Themselves into
a Band of Robbers"

The police annals OF Cincinnati, for few
weeks past, have afforded q painful exhibit
ton of the rapid increase Of crime among
the youth of our city. Children scarcely
out Of their swaddling clothes are detected
daily in pilfering from shops and stores. In
many cases they display an adroitness in
their operations that would do credit to
older hands at the business. Yesterday
Officer Samuel Simmons arrested twelve
boys, all of whom are about the same age
say twelve to thirteen years They are
scholars in the new Fifth District School, on
Third street, between Elm and Race.
Itappeared, from the testimony of one of
the boys, in Court, that they had formed
themselves into regular company, and had
organized by electing Captain and Lieu.
tenant. The witness had the honor Of filing
the latter Office. The position Of Captain
was filed by lad whose intelligent face
showed that the right boy was in the right
place. The Lieutenant was the only witness
examined He stated that the gang had
been pilfering small articles around the city
for three months past. A number of articles
which had been stolen by them recently
were shown in Court. Their latest perform
ances were in stealing a lot Of skates from q
store on Central-avenue; playing cards on
Fourth street, between Vine and Walnut;
dominoes, bells, &C., from Peter Smith,
near Race; doll babies and toys from Cohen's
establishment, on Fifth-street; books from
store on Fourth, between Walnut aud Vine;
tobacco and pipes, corner of Elm and Long
worth; knives, from an India-rubber store in
Fourth.street, and figs from j. r. PEBBLES,
corner of Fifth and Race. .t-
The witness explained the manner il
which they accomplished their thefts SO sue
cessfully. ut recess hours they would start
nt,f in fnxu in, tvun
going into the stores, and while one or two
of the party would engage the attention OF
the keeper, the remainder would steal small
articles, such as they could carry off unob-
| served. In answer to question from the
Court as to what use they made of the meat
and sausage that they stole, the witness stated
| that they threw the latter into the show
windows, after the fashion of mud balls.
The little rogues frequently presented their
school mistress with such things as dominoes
books, &c, representing to her that they got
them from their parents. The urchins finally
so overwhelmed their favorite teacher with
presents, that she began to suspect all wal
not right, and instituted inquiries as to how
| they came in possession of the articles, which
| resulted in developing the above scheme
The Toys all have respectable parents, arr
well clothed, and, from all appearances, vel
fed, and of course their rascally proceeding
| were entlrely unknown to their friends
Doubtless the prevalent war spirit, or tn
resding of such plays as The Robbers, il
which the bold aud courageous Charles D
Moor" figures so conspicuously, induced th
boys to take the step they did.
Judge Satin gave the parents and friend
of the offenders some wholesome advice, i
which he stated that during the whole of hi
connection with the police force of Cincir
natl be had not known so much depravity
exist among the youth of the city as at th
present time. He thought if something wf
not done to put stop to such organization
as the one in question, that ere long thel
would be regiments instead of companies
these rascally little marauders The paren
of nearly all the boys were present, and wel
visibly affected during the delivery of Il
judges remarks. 1t was evident that the
felt keenly and deeply the mortifying stu
tion in which their sons were placed.
The boys, with one or two exceptions, e.
hibited considerable Indifference as to the
| fate-one or two of them tittering and laugl
; ing during the whole of the examinatio
They were discharged, with the admonitiC
from the Court that if ever brought befo
him again on similar charge he would cor
! nit them to the House of Refuge, whe
they would be kept until twenty.One yea
of age.