The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-10-11
4 REMARKABLE BOY.
A 15-YEAR OLD WHOSE POWERS OF
SPEECH AsTOSIsHED PEOPLE IN
COURT.


South Exeter street, Baltimore, en-
tered the Union Dime Saving Bank
on Monday last and presented for
payment a check for 500, drawn
by Brown, Graves & Co, to the
order of Thomas Hill, all of Balti-
more. He asked if he could getthe
money Immediately. He was told
that he would have TO wait until the
amount was collected in Baltimore.
He deposited the check and went
away. He returned to the bank on
Wednesday and asked if the check
had been collected. He was told
that it had not. On Saturday he
called again and asked if he could
drawS75 on the check. Mr.. Sprague,
the Secretary of the bank, in the
meantime had received letter from
Messrs. Brown, graves, 4 Co, en-
closing the check, and pronOuncing
it a forgery. Young ROsenheim was
told that no money would be paid
to him. and he went out of the bank.
Detective Edwin Evans, of the Dis
trict Union Telegraph Company,
followed him and had him arrested.
He appeared yesterday before JUS
tice Ford at the Jefferson Market
Police Court and was held without
bail for trial. The counsel for the
bank, Haley Fiske, Of Armour,
Ritch < WOodford, and Mr.. Sprague,
appeared against him. He gave his
name, age and address TO Clerk
Kennedy without betraying any
emotion. When Mr.. Kennedy was
through questioning him he said
Now, will you permit me to ask a
few questions / wish to know if
/ am to be tried here or in Balti-
more for this"
The clerk replied that he would
be tried here before the court of
general sessions. The boy broke
down then, and began TO cry, Il adj
NIT that i forged the check" he
said, "but / think that as / COM
mitted the forgery in Baltimore upon
the name of a Baltimore firm, /
should stand trial there, am friend
less here" The clerk reiterated
that he would have to be tried here.
Il uEnlug 10 It lshCs W lO sAOOu bC~
side him, the boy said:
You are counsel for the bank, and
/ know it is your duty to press this
case against me; but / think you
ought TO hear q statement Of the
circumstances that caused me to
commit this act. reside in Balti-
more, and am an associate member
of the Grain Exchange. / have
been in several responsible positions
since was twelve years of age, and
this is the first time | have ever been
in any trouble. / was formerly an
associate reporter on the Baltimore
Sun. Two weeks ago, through the
prosecutions of my older sister, l
came here. / went TO COney Island
and bought pools on the races l
bought on the winning horse once,
but on n losing horse every other
time. The pool rooms had fasci
nation for me. / made a little
money last week by doing some I
copying, and expended it in buying |
pools. / finally resolved in order to
get more money for specu alton, to |
present the forged check, the blank |
of which / had procured from n boy |
in the employment of Brown,
Graves d Co. i never would come |
here and never would have forged |
the check had it not been for the |
brutal way / was treated at home. |
/ would not care If could be taken |
10 Baltimore for trial. l know the |
Judge of the Criminal Court there. !
The way happened to become ac-
quainted with him was that i re-
stored 10 him n pOcketbOOk he had |
lost. / know half the Baltimore /
Judges, detectives and policemen,
and am confident could get there |
a fair hearing and a lenient sentence,
or probably be discharged for the |
crime that family trouble and the |
passion for speculation tempted me |
to cmmit / confidently hoped, even |
when / felt sure that / would be /
arrested. that the crime was against
the State of Maryland, and not New
York All ask of you Mr.. Fiske,
is to deal leniently with me. Have
me put away, if you like, but do
not, entreat you, put me away I'M
til am twenty one years OF age.
l will reform if you will give me
the opportunity"
Mr.. Fiske said, as he turned away,
Il do not understand him; he is the
most marvellous boy l have ever
seen"
The bOysentreated the reporters
not to publish his name. 81 have
been in the same business myself,
he said, "and understand the nature
of your responsibilities. L know
that court reporters meet each other
and compare notes. If you could
possibly arrange il so that none of
the papers would publish my name,
/ shall esteem it a favor. 1t would
ruin my reputation in Baltimore"
lie was very anxious to know where
he would be placed while awaiting
trial. When told, he wished to know
If he could have books and the daily
papers to read, saying he would
rather die than be put in solitary
confinement without anything to do.
If / get chance to talk TO the
Judge said he, az think L could
convince him that / am entitled to
lenient treatment. One thing is GER
tain," he concluded, eff / am SEN
tenced to loug term of imprison-
ment j viii not serve it out. will
do bodily harm to myself Ii is n
strong assertion to make, but / mean
il.
Justice Ford simply asked the
boy II be knew the nature of the
charge against him, and if he ad-