The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-03
A BAND OF BABY BRIGANDs.
The White Squaw of a Philadelphia Train
ing School and Her Cowboys.

Philadelphia Times,
John Kalor," said Miss 2. NJ. Taylor, facing
her pupils in the Thaddeus Stevens secondary
school at Seventeenth and OliEet streets. In
response to her summons a ten-year-old boy came
slowly from his desk nodded to nine-year-old
confederate, who whispered remember your
OATH" advanced up the center aisle, faced
his teacher and with his right hand resting on
his hippocket cody. said, What does the
white Squaw want with Schuylkill Jack" Had
this pertinent inquiry been made in Sioux 1t
would not have astonished the teacher more
than it did, and the nine little fellows who, with
"Schuylkill Jack" form a secret oath-bound
organization called the philadelphia Cowboys"
looked upon their captain with pride.
Johnny, am told you have pistol Where
Captain Schuyikill simply muttered "Treach-
cry" and glanced around the room in search of
the face of a confederate willing to support him
in his hour of peril, but their faces were buried
in their books.
"Come with me" said Miss Taylor, moving to-
ward the private room, and the boy followed her
Then Miss Allen, the principal of the school,
was sent for, and she and Miss Taylor sue
ceeded i'll disarming the bold Captain
Schuy!kiH," who burst into tears when his
seven-chambered revolver was taken from him.
and his father was sent for. The father came
and carried ''Jack" off in disgrace. While the
teachers were subduing ''Schuylkill" in the pri-
waite room, the other 'Philadelphia Cowboys
who had revolvers bowie-knives with
them sent their weapons out of the building,
and when few minutes later the teachers
searched them no arms We're found. Captain
Kaylor is the second commander that the Cow
boys" of the Thaddeus Stevens school have lost
within a week, ron Friday last Captain Charley
Bedford aged eleven, was subdxed by the
teachers and dsarmed of a navy revolver, which
he had hoped to use in Strengthening Indians next
summer Captain Charley has been imprisoned
in his fathers house
On Tuesday, in the cellar of the Armstrong
family mansion, Johnny KalOr was elected to
succeed Captain Bedford, deposed. The cow
boys who were present when Captain Kalor took
the oath and the ominous title of ''SchuylSill
Jack" were William Armstrong aged twelve;
Charles ]. Briggs, aged ten; Percy Baily, aged
eleven, and John T. Boyle, aged nine. Kalor
was one of the most advanced COW boys" On
the day after he was made captain of the
band ''Schuylbin jack learned that one Of the
ten members had threatened to expose the plans
of his companions. Jack" placed his revolver
at the head of the supposed traitor, and made
him promise to reveal nothing, The boy prom
ised. and an hour later told his teacher the facts
that led to the humiliation of Captain SchUyl-
kill, and possibly the destruction of an organ
ization that has been in existence for many
months
Several days ago Kalor convinced his COM
panions that there were many things, such as
hurting bowie-knife with accuracy, throwing a
lasso, making fire by rubbing two sticks to-
gether and eating raw meat that the cowboys
should be perfect in before they could reason
AMY 6Ap6Cb W llefe GllolE ildEhS stS lGIIOIo VI
Indian slayers" on the plains. The boys recog-
nized the force of ''Sehuylkill Jacks" argument.
but there was no place in which they could safe
ly practice the necessary accomplishments re-
ferred to.
On Monday the parents of Cowboy Arm
strong went to New York to visit relatives, and
since then the cellar Of the house on Twentieth
street has been the meetngplace Of the boys.
There they made tents with blankets
from the Armstrong beds. There they
spent hours hurting bowie and carving
knives at mark. There they wore the
skin off the palms of their hands rubbing sticks
together without making fire, and there John
Kalor showed himself worthy of being captain of
the band by eating a pound of raw beef. For
weeks they have been laying in stock of am
munition, and their revolvers were bought
from Hisshburg, a pswnbroker on Ridge
avenue, near Vineyard street The
teachers of Thaddeus .Stevenss school have for a
ldlg time known of the existence of some secret
among the boys, but it was not until Wednes-
day that the whole story came out. Miss Allen
is of the opinion that inc minds of the boys have
been as much influenced by the pictorial paint
ing Of border plays at the theaters as by dime
novels,