Connecticut western news., 1878-06-13
A LESSON TO PARENTS.
Dime Novels and Boy Bandfts-A True Story of what Novels have Done.

A AESSUN 1O FARENISs Dime Novels and Boy Bandits-A True Story
 of what Novels have Done.
 Adolph Baldschmieder has been sent by the General Sessions of New York to the State Prison for eight years, for the mature offences of highway robbery and attempt to kill. He has achieved this distinction at the tender age of sixteen years. There is something positively startling in Master Baldschmeiders felonious pecocity. He may be called the Infant Phenomenon of the Tombs. Before doing business in New York, he practiced, pstol in hand, as highway boy in Texas. Had he staid there he might have achieved the honors of 1ynching. Returning to New York, when not at home, he, with two other lads who called him leader, has occupied cave near Macomb's Dam, for all the world like cave in Gil Bias. The precious trio, on the 18th of May, took to the road, armed and equipped as tra- dition directs. They actually shot traveller on 171st street and then retired to the caveagain, which they had fitted up with bed and kitchen conveniences. When sentenced, Adolph did not ap- pear to be much distressed. He evil dently regarded the judicial proceedings as quite the regular thing, and as nat ural episode in the drama of a bravo's life. ss.t ..5 .5..:... ..t.....-s .''4.
 Being interrogated, young Bald schneider attributed his fall from grace and his morning depravity to constant perusal of dime novels, in which the ex- ploits of robbers and burglars were set forth as models for imitation, and as evidences of 8 manly and chivalrous character. It must be admitted, says the Tribune, that the fault was in the book rather than in the price. Excel lent tracts, the merits of which nobody disputes, and the morality of which is undoubted, are sold for much smaller sum of money. Again, it must be al- lowed that many boy might have swal- lowed the entire contents of the Bald schneider collection without injury tc his moral digestion. But when such books are read by lads surrounded by counteracting influences of no better character, they confirm, even if they dc not originate evil propensities. Really they are not much better than many oi the unmentionable publications which are under the direct ban of the law. They find readers prepared to be deludeo and misled. They cooperate with con stitutional propensities, neglect, desti tuition, evil associations of all kinds They work their mischief accordingly Those who sell them cannot III many cases be held amenable to the law | There is nothing absolutely indecent 1T I the stories. If Fagin should set up { school in New York for the purpose O teaching the mysteries of pocket picking to Artful Dodgers and to Charley Bateses the discovery of his academy and his ar rest would be simultaneous. But noth ing can be done with those who for tn, sake of gain teach friendless boys tha larceny is little thing, and that high way robbery is chivalrous vocation They are quite at liberty to sell in thu streets and at their stalls their badl, conceived, badly written, badly printed and badly illustrated books. How mucl mischief they do, it is impossible exactl. to state. Nobody who knows anything of the matter thinks it to be insignificant Already this evil has engaged the at tentlon of some of our first philanthro pists. We have received many commu nications on the subject, asking if ther
 is no remedy for this specie of mora contagion. The readiest one, it appear
 to us, is the multiplication of books 8
 the same time harmless, cheap and in
 structive. A good book can be as vel
 printed for ten cents as bad one.
 moral story can be made as entertainin!
 as an immoral one. A lad, if it wer
 thrown in his way, and sold at pric
 within his means, would as readily rea'
 well-written volume of travels as 'Th
 Pirates Own Book" What he wants
 and he is entitled to it, is intellectua
 excitement which might be made whole
 some instead of deleterious. Perhap 1 if greater pains were taken by the chari
 table to supply this undeniable want
 the so-called "dime novels" might i
 time become much less numerous, an
 be in much smaller deman>.s. \