The Cecil Whig., 1881-01-01
Youthful Depravity.

On Christmas day, Mr.. John Lang, 4
baker doing business in Little Elk, dis
covered that he had lost from his person
seventy-siX dollars, the savings of Il con-
siderable period from his small business.
After a thorough investigation of the matter
it was determined that it was case of
theft and that the money had been taken
from him while he was sitting in his chair
asleep, rs was frequently his custom. Un-
fortunately for him, Mr. Lang has three
very bad boys, Bill, Jack and Caspar, NJ
home, ranging in years from eight To thir-
teen, and Il fourth now rusticating at ,Jes-
sup's Cut. The three ut home have a boon
companion, one Dode Lockard, also youth
of bad repute. During Christmas times it
was noted that this qnartette was very flush
Of money, spending literally, buying all
sorts of good things, skates, sledS, toys, &c,
and as neither of them had any known
means of earning money to any consider
able extent, it was thought by persons up
town, even before Lang's loss had been
heard of, that the boys had struck Il vein of
luck somewhere. Young Lockard is in the
habit of staying at Lang's Il good deal and
was III the room where Mr.. Lang was sit
ting in his chair asleep, about the time the
money was taken. As soon, therefore, .ls
Mr.. Lang heard of the flush condition of the
boys finances he made up his mind that
either one or the other of two things had
occurred, viz: That Lockard had himself
taken the money or that he had induced
one of his boys to do it, and that the four
had then divided the booty. He set out at
once to apprchend Lockard, when it was
found that he had left town on SATURDAY.
for Wilmington, and Mr.. Lamg followed
him to that place on Tuesday. Evidently
Lnckard had abSconded and had not merely
gone away on a visit, rs he had contracted
with the street lampli ghter to light the
lamps for him during this week while the
latter was away on Il visit, and did light
them on Saturday evening, but failed to
put them out that night, as they were all
burning next morning.
Mr. Lung returned home on Wednesday,.
mngtuu and Philadelphia 1t is supnosed
by those who know him in these cities that
he had cone West. Our rcportrr had an in
terview with Casper Lang, one of the boys
referred to above-a lad of about eight
years Of age--on Thursday. His statement
is that he and the other hoyS-maaninr his
brothers and i.pcllar,l-were in the room
where his father was sitting asleep after his
Christmas festivities, AMI that he saw
Lorkarl put his hand i'll his fathers pocket
take the money (S1G) therefrom, place it in
his own pocket, and in Il few minutes the
whole party left. He sayS that Lackar,i
gave him fifty cents and Jack Seventv-five
cents not TO tell, bat that he did not give
Bill anything. When asked why he did
not tell his father, he replied: "Oh, he had
been ont seeing Christmas and coudn I nm
dersfand anything said to him.
These three Langs and Lockard have
figured rs the heroes in 4 number of cases
of treSpass, malicious mischief etc, in this
neighhorhood within Il wear or two past
One of their first known dcpradations was
to enter Il farmers melon patch and finding
the fruit unripr, Cut and Slashed the entire
crop of vines and melons, utterly destroy
ing them. The theft of quantity of gill
net from Mr.. Amos IierSnn was also pretty
well trace to them. Several hundred load.
ed shells for breech loading guns were taken
by them from Mr.. Bennets Office, at Elk
Landing and cut up, and the shot thrown