Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-07-10
CHICAGO.
An Afternoon in the Criminal Court.
Twenty-Five Out OF Twenty-Five Convicts I'm
der Twenty Years OF Age-Their
Personal A appearance, Etc.

| ternoOn spent the other day in the
Criminal Court a number of prisoners
convicted during the last term of
court were brought up for sentence.
Out of total of about %, all but
two were under 90 years of age
mere boys, with bright, keen, intel.
lectual faces, that indicated that
most OF them had received public
school education; we'll dressed, as n
rule, with evidence of care, training
and good breeding about them that
was unmistakable, and would enable
them to pass muster anywhere, and
put them on plane of equality with
the young men engaged in business
or studying for the professions in
Milwaukee or Chicago. And yet
they were charged with larcenies or
burglaries in every instance, and
stood convicted on unquestionable
evidence. States Attorney Wells
tells NE that nine tenths, almost nine
ty nine one hundredths of the men
arraigned term after term in the
Criminal Court are under 25 years OF
age! Where the older ones go is a
more interesting question than what
becomes of the pins or the soda
water bottles. Where was the ex-
PLANTATION of this fact? 1t showed
itself pretty soon in the answers of
the prisoners to the questions of
Judge Booth before passing sentence.
Bad company, neighborhood bar
rooms and bad women are the in
fluences by which the criminal classes
are formed. Three of the victims
are boys whose minds had been in
famed by stories of the "Boy Bur-
glar," "The Precocious Pick Pock-
et," "The Juvenile Incendiary,"
"Dare Devil Dick, the Highway
man." Two Of the older ones proved
themselves to be young men of fam.
lily and social position in Philadel-
phia, who had wandered to Chicago,
got strapped, had been "slinking it"
around town, hungry and out of en-
ployment, until they yielded to the
temptation of an unlocked door and
committed burglary. They gave
the names of Harry Graham and
George st. Clair. but I'll venture the
conjecture that the names were in
vented to suit the emery ences of the
case when they were frst captured.
Who can blame man for assuming
disguise when the penitentiary
stares him in the face. In view Of
their youth, Judge Moran only gave
them one year 10 the "pen"-the low.
est sentence allowed by law. If any
surprise is felt that 30 many young
sters should be sentenced at once to
the "pen," it is Only necessary to say
that the Society for the Suppression
of the Sale of Liquor to Minors re-
ported lately that there were nearly
10000 Juvenile drunkards in Chicago.
Walking through the Jail, l saw
Johnny Lamb pacing the floor OF the
corridor arm in arm with a friend
who was congratulating him on the
newly discovered evidence which
points to "Sheeney" George as the
real murderer of Officer Race. Lamb
is neat, trinity built fellow, with a
prepossessing face and a genial,
hearty manner, now perhaps 40 years
of age. You wouldn't think to look
at his clear, handsome face, quick,
intelligent, merry eye, that he had
been professional thief for twenty
Eve years. He wore a new straw
hat, but had taken off his coat, as he
walked back and forth to enjoy the
little breeze that came now and then
through the nigh windows situated
in the wall far above where he could
reach. As he walked down the cor
ridor he was face to face with the
spot where the gaIlows stood where
Sherry and Comfy were hung about
year ago. The rope near by which
was attached to the window had
suggestive look. Notwithstanding
the new evidence, the gallows still
stares Johnny Lamb in the face. He
must prove further that he was not
only not present when the shoe ting
was done, but had no hand 10 plan
ming the burglary-for, unless this is
done, he is responsible for all the
natural consequences of the burglary,
which Ia this instance was murder.
The pity is that Freeburg, the slew
Fagln" in the affair, and "Sheeney"
George, the sgive- a away in the
case, were not simultaneously sem
fenced to the gallows, and unless
something of this kind is done, future