Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-28
Dime Novels and Burglary.

The effect of debaSed literature upon youth
Illustration than is furnished by the cases OF the
two little boys, Myron Stevens and John Davies,
who have just been sent to the house OF refuge
Who was conceTnea in the same crime has been
committed to wait the action of the grand jury,
the responsibility attaching to his superior age
ne being thirteen and his companions ten
supplying reason for the different line Of
treatment
The burglary committed by these children
was at what is known as the Sands residence at
Milton. on the Hudson. They stole hundreds of
dollars worth Of property and destroyed great
deal more The scene in the Sands house after
the sa robbery Is said by one reporter to have
and curtains were smeared with preserves.
Costly silk dresses were daubed with canned
fruits, wine and NTH Carpets were cut into
thing the lads could mutilate or destroy was
unspared. 1t appears from their own confess
sion that they got "gloriously drunk" on wines.
found In the cellar. When arraigned in court
their demeanor was "tmpudent and defiant"
They seemed, indeed, to glory in their shameful
achievement. One precious young varlet,
claimed. ~ don't care - what you do with
me. The only thing I'm sorry for is 1 didn't
s eTrn R;tn down. and half the village
The Sands house was not the only one these
boys pillaged Several other residences were
visited and robbed by them, although none suf-
fered SO much at their hands as the Sands
house 1t was their practice, after securing
their booty, to drink themselves into intoXica-
ton. They would then, in pure wantonneSS
deface and befoul everything about them. The
Stevens boy was asked why they maliciously
ruined so much property. e. it. l don't
kno ~ was his reply: but 1t was bully fun, 1
can tell you" 1t is supposed that the depreda-
lions OF the youthful outlaws have not been
conf1ne to Milton on-the- Hudson. Other places
Us ed as summer resorts by families and closed
In winter, are believed to have suffered at their
hands, and, while refusing TO acknowledge this,
one of the boys could not refrain from the
June.
1t was made plain on the trial before Judge
Woolsey that the perversiOn Of these callow
young minds was the work in great degree of
what are called ''dime novels" The boys said
they wanted above all things to be highwaymen
This was the prime object Of their ambition
But until they attained more effective strength
and stature they judged that taking to the road
would be 1nexped1ent. The next best thing to
highway robbery they conceived to be burglary.
Zest and diligence. What has excited most re-
mark In the wretched affair is that the youngest
OF the lads seems also to be the most hardened
and unconcerned. "We won't be there long,
he declared, speaking Of the House OF Refugee
and Jack Sheppard was never more confident OF
getting out of Newgate than are these unhappy
waits OF escaping the opportunity for reforma-
ton.
The story of these boys will strengthen a per-
suasion already general among observant think
erS that books Of the kind which have been so
mischievouS to them are of far too easy access
to the young, as well as far too many. How to
deal with the problem it is very difficult to de
termine; but that it should be dealt with and
that In manner more effectual than has hith-
erto obtained, has been demonstrated very often
OF late, II seldom with so sharp an emphasis as
In this case at Milton on-the- Hudson.-N. T.