The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-27
The Milwaukee COWBOYS.

Milwaukee furnishes the most recent
example of the pernicious effects of much
of the current boys literature. The
arrest of four boys, sons of respectable
parents, on numerous charges of incen-
diarism, has been the means of LAYING
bare shocking story of youthful de-
pravity and crime. Fascinated by the
criminal and vicious literature which
for many years past has been teeming
from hundreds of presses, these four
boys planned and organized miniature
cowboy society. At first the public
library at Milwaukee was the trysting
place; and under the pretence of read
ing the papers there they met daily to
read the pernicious books and serials
which they brought with them and
placed between the pages of the papers.
Later they improyised a pirate den"
out Of an old barn, which they deco
rated with rusty swords, old knives and
ancient pistols. In this den" they
were in habit Of meeting nightly with
q large stock of flash literature. They
elected as their Captain the boy who
had the most gall; a part of the init
alton consisted in smoking an unlimited.
number of cigarettes and chewing
brand OF the vilest plug tobacco. Cast
iron oaths were taken, binding the
members to commit deeds Of unheard
of villany; and an atmosphere of crime
soon became natural to these misguided
lads, whose average age was no more
than fourteen years.
From the conception of crime to its
execution is only step. The members
soon began to sally forth in search of
plumber, and numerous thrifty house
wives began to bewail the loss of sun
dry articles which were incautiously
left exposed. But the filching of occa-
sional preserve jars soon became unin-
teresting and something more blood
curdling was demanded. The limita-
tons of urban life rendered impossible
most of the diversions of the noble cow
boy; and a degenerate civilization
stood ready to prevent any too open
imitation of that latest development of
manly proves. But setting fire to
buildings was always an easy POSSIBLE
ty. And it possessed not only the
merit of being deeply villainous, but
also gloriously exciting. 1t was easy
! for these youthful followers OF
! Jesse James to find plenty Of
! presidents for this novel but effect
! i've method of committing crime. Of
| course the unfortunate lads were event
ually caught, and the confession of a
number OF them has resulted in the con-
viction OF three OF the band, and they
| will be sent to the State Reform School
until they are twentyOne years of age.
! 1t may well be doubted, however, if
seven years Imprisonment among
| youths more deprayed than they is a
wise measure of reform. And in view
| OF the fact that those who are morally
responsible for their crime will 90 scot
| free, their sentence seems unnecessarily
severe. They go into the Reform
| School the victims of their Youthful To-
| norance, but with no criminal instincts.
! They may come ont hardened criminals,
The lesson which all this teaches is
! so timewOrn that il seems hardly neceS-
| sary to repeat it. The evil Of PERM
cious literature for boys and girls is
rapidly attaining gigantic proportions.
Some one, in speaking of the good lit
erature now provided for the young,
has happily called this age the ''chil-
dren's paradise But we must rcmem-
Der that vast numbers of children not
only never read this good literature.
but are, on the other hand, daily drink
ing in stories reeking with filth and red
handed with every species OF crime,
That such literature should exist and
flourish is Il monsrous offence against
good morals.
One of these Milwaukee boys, whe1
reprimanded for his bad habits, ex
pressed the wish to ''look Ike q tough.
His personal outfit when arrested con
sisted OF knife, cowboy story, ;
plug of tobacco and four cigars. Al
these boys, it must be remembered
were Of respectable percentage, one thu
son OF a Major General, and attended
the public schools. standing high il
their classes Practical philanthropisti
could spend their time to no better ad
vantage than in devi5ing means where
by this fountain of evil shall be drieC
up, and the interest of our girls anC
boys enlisted in the good and healthfu
literature which is 50 lavishly provided
for thcm.-N 7. TrijHnc.