Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-04-03
The ID Deadly ID ian Q Novel.

country. 1t has becomes common GUS
tom for boys ranging in age from ten
years up to twenty to band to-
gether for the purpose of carrying on
little predatory crimes such as petty
thieving, but often going farther and
committing more serious crimes even
70 murder. 1t has not been long since
gang of these boys in Chicago, under
the cognomen of " Peck's Bad Boys"
were pounced upon by the police and
broken up.
They carried on regular system of
railroad train robberies--not in such
dashing manner as the James boys
carried it on nor attended with such
murderous results, but they did enough
at it to evidence remarkable tenden-
cy to become expert thieves and muir
derers by the time they reached man
hoods age. Some of these boys were
the sons of prominent citizens, business
men, and members of churches Some
of them were Sunday school scholars,
and were considered to have had good
religious training.
Only about six weeks ago an organi-
cation of small boys in central town
in fe"neylvania, was discovered, who
had laid plot for each of them TO poi.
son their mothers. These boys ranged
from ten to twelve years of age. One
little fellow objected to the plot and
was then required by the gang to COM
mence by poisoning the nurse after
which twas thought he might get cour-
age enough to go u little farther and poi
son his mother.
After this exhibition of bravery, the
boys were to 60 West and become high
waymen. The boy who objected to
poisoning his mother, however, dis
closed the purposes of the gang and it
was broken up, but without Il radical
change of heart and a change in the
training OF such boys what more could
be expected OF them than that they
would III tine swell the ranks of the
thieves, cut-throats and murdcrers that
infest society?
But eight or ten days ago gang of
boys were pounced upon by the police
of Baltimore, who had their headquar-
tiers in an old building in the outskirts
of the city. The gang was large and
composed of whites and blacks from
fourteen TO eighteen years of age. They
had carried on Il regular system of rob-
bling cars until the cellar of the house
in which they met vas filled with goods
which they had sold to c0nfederates in
crime, who made IL business of dealing
in stolen goods.
These boys all commenced life of
crime alike Their haunts were well
provided with dime novels and other
perniciouS and obsccn" literature that
pOiSons wherever it touches. The Chi
cage gangs had evidently familiarized
thems elves with such reading as
"Peck's Bad Boy, but they like all the
other gangs were slaves to the miserable
perniclous trashy literature published
under the miserably thin guise of
amusements for the young"
If the history Of nine-tenths of the
criminals Of the country were traced
back to their childhood we believe that
it will be found that they were dime
novel readers or some other equally
trashy and perniCious literature. We
have only referred to two or three in
stances OF the bad influence of juvenile
organizations free from the restraint of
parental supervision. Chicago and
Baltimore are not alone in these youth
full organizations Of bad boys. They
exist everywhere.
Even in Wilmington they exist
These boys become early frequenters of
pool and billiard saloons. They are
adepts in card playing, and know all
about the merits of the latest and mos,
stunning dime novel. Parents are 50
blinded and imposed upon by a tenden-
cy of their children to read, that they
are not particular what they read. Bet
ter to read dime novel than nothing,
they think, and so the precious boy is
given full rein to pursue his own liter
airy inclinatiOns.
This mistaken indulgence is bringing
an abundant harvest of crime Boys
suddenly disappear from home and are
not heard of for years. They are ex-
cited and attracted by the glitter of a
rover's life as seen from dime novel
stand point. They become the high
wavmen of the times. Who is to blame
for all this? We fear the largest share
of the blame will fall upon the Shout
ders Of the parents Of such boys.
1t seems strange to many that dime
novel reading should be- productive of
such bad results but it is not strange to
those who understand human nature
and know how easily the lender mind
of II child can be influenced. That the
poison of dime novel reading is the
source of most of the crime OF the pres
ent day adults scarcely il doubt. It is
deadly and virile. and produces bad re-
suits Of the most decided t%pc. 1t pro
duccS a mass Of criminals that can only
be utterly ruinOus to- good morals and
good government. II parents would
have their children grow up vir1uuu,
and good, and become Il blessing to 50.
ciety. they will preserve them from the
deadly poison Of the dime novel;
THE DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS or THE
Levy Court must feel happy now rllal
they have prevented several hundred
cOlOred Republicans from getting as
sessed. When the owlrrs Of property
complain Of high laA's, ,hs Demo
cratic members can 20 It. hem and tell
them that it is all for til" good Of the
Democratic party They can tel them
that it is worth few dollar, IF addi-
tional taxes to keep the Republican
party out Of power by DISTINGUISHING
them. These overburtlln"d Taxpayers
may, perhaps, agree with such argu-
mcntS, perhaps they may not. If they
agree with them they ought nc"rr 1ol
complain of high taxes.
= y
AMONG THE members Of the gradu-
ating class Of the HahucnIann Medical
College, at the Aciulriuy OF Music" Phil