Daily globe., 1879-04-04
" -.
PETTY THIEYING.
A Pitiable Scene In Judge Flints Court
Yesterday-A Sad Story OF Youthful De-

A Pitiable Scene In Judge Flint's Court
Yssterday-A Sad Story Of Youthful De-
pravlty.
The scene presented at the municipal police
court yesterday morning was pitiable in the
extreme, and the facts developed were . sad
commentary on the system that partially in
vites the commission of petty misdemeanora
by children who. in most instances, have
scarcely reached their teens. The oulprit was
a fresh faced mulatto girl about f,urteen years
of age, who tremblingly acknowledged the
crime with which she stood accused, which
consisted in having pilfered few valueless
trinkets from Ingersolrs dry goods store
Bridge Square. The girls story revealed an
extent of juvenile depravity that is absolutely
shocking not as pertaining to herself particu-
larily, but as having reference to the manner in
which even younger children yield to the
| whatever may come within their reach.
Resting her head on the railing that surroua ada
the clerks desk in order to hide her shame, and
| in voice choked with emotion, she told how
she had entered the store for the purpose Of
looking at the goods, and becoming dazzled
with the profusion of bright things first seized
a piece of ribbon, then growing emboldened
strove to possess few gaudy trinkets, when she
was caughtiin the act and arrested. The girl
told straightforward story, her frame
convulsed with mingled fear and grief.
| The trinkets were there, few dimes worth
in all, and considering that it was her first of
fence. and her tender age, the court felt dis
posed to be lenient, and after portraying th'
enormity of the crime and its dread conse
quences if repeated, in tones that were re-
markable for their sense of duty and almos
pathetic tenderness, the upright court ordered
her discharge in bonds for future good be
havior.
| 10 Oh %k1y& J, of
on by mere children, as revealed in the girl
story to the clerk, and as related by Mr.. Inger
eoll to GLOBE representative subsequently
is far greater than the general public has an,
idea of. When asked by the clerk how she wa
led to take other peoples property, ste repllet
that the example had been set by other colore'
girls few weeks since who displayed trlnket
that had been abstracted from store counter
while the clerks were not looking. The name
of the girls were given, and the most remarka
BILE fact about the affair is that none Of the cu
, prits are over IL years of age. In conversation
with the GLOBE man Mr.. Ingersoll stated tina
, he had been subjected to SO many petty annoy
ances of the kind under description that he ha
, about made up his mind to prosecute to th
! full extent of the law all future offenders.
was further learned that notion and fanc
, goods dealers throughout the city are constant
ly annoyed by these petty depredations whic
, are almost invariably committed by children
who are generally let off without punishmer
on account of their tender years or the Unfit
, ence of their parents.
! That screw is loose somewhere, either
3 the home treatment of such children, or In tn
unwarranted temptations offered as premiu
E for the commission of the offenses alluded t.
Z mount consequence of the question is such
n to command the attention of humanitarian
who employ their efforts on the solution
" matters of far inferior Importance.