Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-03
BoYS IN CRInE-wHY NOT:

The startling revelation made to the
public, the other day, that bevy OF
small boys, from twelve to fourteen
years Of age, were the incendiary eX-
perts who have been accomplishing the
systematic destruction of valuable prop
erty in this city; that they were a reSu-
larly organized body of fire fends wh"
met in secret couclaveS, sometimes I'M
der the caves of a church building
where the noise Of religious services
served to protect their consultations;
and who usually selected sunday
night when the occupants OF, Of ya tg pSS
their devilish work ofdevastatiOn; and
who with all the cunning of experts see
their work of destruction well under
way, and then run to offer their
in carrying out the furniture from
property they have put in jeopardy,
and with the air OfherOes ami the brag
and buster of the case-hardened GRIM
inal, walk 10 priSon with smart express
sions perpetrated for wit, that 1.-The old
woman" should be notified Of their eX-
ploits;-these revelations, We say, are
commentary in themselves, that APP
parently need only the statement to
arouse public apprehension as to the
character of the youth growing up in
our midst.
Nor did the Observing citizen need
such revelations ~ these to convince
him that very large per cent. Of the
boys of this city are growing up with
out any moral restraints or virtuOuS in
iluencc~ or the graces of home elu"l-
ton. or even the training Of the public
schools to prevent them from becoming
adopts in crime and learning daily lcs-
sons in the most diabolical and degrdl-
ed of life. Their common -
sort, are the slums and by-naths Of AL
manner of wickedncs> and debluchery.
They live on the streets and become the
regular patrons of every secret and 90
scene resort. For u year or more they
were the principal patrons and support
rrs of the cheap and demDralizing eNht-
billions given at Washington Hall, whcr"
night after night they assembled in
great numbers 10 witueS, the represent
tatiuns of every phase OF crime, AMI
where the principal actor i'm daStariIy
plot To kill, or rob, or raviSh, was eXalt-
cd To the character of . hero and APP
pIauded to the echo.
They ted and reflected upon these eN-
hibitiOnS, until their susceptible natures
have been fired with an ambition to fig
ure in such scenes i'm real life, and where
their moral sense ifthey ev"r had any.
has been warped into the conception
that courage in cr.me AMI bravery in
wicked venture is the highest style OF
manhood. They go about with their
pockets stuffed with yellow-covered lit
crature from which to gether inspira
ton for such deeds, AMI from which
sources, in the absence Of the cheap
theatre, they keep their imaginationS
fired and their ambition hot on the scent
of opportunities to distinguish them
selves in the annals Of crime.
\ boy left to himsclfiu this or any
other city, to grow up on the street, has
q thousand incentives to crafty his
wicked impulses where there will be one
To lead him into a virtuouS manhood. IL
is not only so with boys, but the large
class of young men with which the city
is populated. IL Christian activity and
philanthrophy would only turn attention
a little more toward home and our
everyday surroundings, asplendid field
for opening opportunities andmiluences
for the benefit of boys and young men
might he found i'm our midst-a field
that is singularly neglected inthis com
mupity