Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-12
YOUTHFUL DEPRAvITY.
Minnie McConn Held on OverwhelI
tmR Evldence.

L
ing Evidence.
The saddest case Of Juvenile depravity
that it has ever been the duty of Wheel
ing reporter to write up Is Minnie No
Copn's, the little pauper girl thief. On the
18th day of March last she was twelve
years old, and for five wears, or since the
death of her father, which occurred five
years ago the first Of July, she has been q
pauper on our streets, begging something
for her mother and her orphan children
from door to door. During the past year
she was employed for few days at each
house as a child nurse, but never retained
but short time by anyone. 1t was while
thus employed at Mr.. Thornburg's that she
is alleged to have committed the grave Of
Tense with which she stands charged. She
is. comparatively speaking, but little
child, although we'll developed for one so
Young. She shows intelligence, circum'
spective discretion and common sense to
remarkable degree IN her conversation
for her years. She persists in her inno-
cence, Notwithstanding the overwhelming
evidence sgainst her.
Her preliminary examination took place
in the Jail office yesterday, and the follow
ing is a synopsis of the testimony, as given
BY the most important witnesses:
Mrs. Ayers, witness for the State, in
very lady-like and intelligent manner, tes'
titled that she sold the little girl dress for
six dollars and fifty cents; that she count
ed, at the request of the girl, her money,
all OF which was in gold at that time, and
she had four ten dollar gold pieces, two
five dollar pieces. and three two-anda hall
pieces-S57. so in all. This was on June the
18th or Goth, she wasn't positive which;
the little girl had it tied up in knot in
the seam,edge OF an under garment next to
her body.
She told Mrs. Ayers that her mother had
lust drawn her pension from the govern
ment of four thousand dollars. The little
girl told many stories as to how she got
the money. She went out near Triadel'
phia and there she gave cousin OF hers
two three-dollar gold pieces and two-and'
a-half gold piece as present, and then she
spent five dollar gold piece in Irladel-
phia OH her return home. This is the his
tory of the money so far, and what she mas
done with the rest is unknown 10 the ~
thorities.
Mr.. Thornburg's testimony was free from
all feeling toward the little unfortunate,
aud manly and straight forward and con-
sistent throughout.
The defence offered no evidence, only as
to character before this happened, and the
little girl was remanded to jail for the Sep
TENDER court, in default OF SiVoo Dali.
Here is an argument unanswerable in be-
half of a reformatory institution for the
young in our city and county, who are led
of into crime.
Will the State prison reform her?
The youthful depravity in our city is
only known to the officers of the law, and
but little sought after by our Chrlstian
men and women. We must save the young
| if we wish to save the institutions OF our
country.
Little Minnie McConn languishes in jail
help her. She is a poor little pauper. Who
| will rescue her?
A reporter asked her mother about thc
matter, whether she couldn't persuade her
daughter to return the other money, and
| she said she couldn't, and that if her child
went to the penitentiary it would Ieasi
her lesson. ~