Daily Republican., 1885-08-26
WEDNESDAY August 80, 1855.
Children In Courts.


TO children being brought before cour,
in criminal cases, that will most prosa
bly, do some good by bringing the ques
non OF the reformation of children
before the public AMI arousing discus
sion as to the best course to pursue to
reclaim Chi ildren who have been al
lowed by their parents and guardians
to drift gradually into crime and have
become pests aud outcasts to society.
Last week the j Judge peremptorily
dismissed the case OF boy of eleven
years of age, who had sued his fat her
for giving him severe but deserved
thrashing. and two other boys of like
age, who were charged with the larceny
OF q lot of liz nors from warehouse,
had their cases thrown out of court as
soon as they were called by the Distr lot
Attorney.
1t Is 0 question whether the Judge
did not act entirely too hastily In this
matter, as the boy who sued his fathor
may have had an excellent case and
have been Q much abused boy, and the
two who stole the liquors may have
been the most accomplished thieves. 1t
must bs taken into consideration, how
ever, that Judges are supposed to pos
sess good, practical sense, and TO know
abous what they are doing, and in this
case, all who know Judge Patterson,
know him to be one Of the most practi-
cal business-like, level-headed and able
jurists Of the State OF Pennsylvania.
And yet, we can hardly account for the
action Of the udge in the case especial.
ly of the two boy thieves. II convicted
Of the crime of which they were
charged, the Judge was not under the
necessity as in Delaware OF sending
them to Jail to be pilloried and lashed,
and then be KEEP. associated with
criminals worse than themselves, and
then, when their terms of imprison-
ment expires, to come ont Q. Iall worse
than when they entered.
Had this been the alternative to
which Judge Patterson had beeD, we
would express no surprise at the course
he has pursued. Bat he is Pennsyl-
vania j uige, State in which there are
Houses OF Refuge and children's refor-
matories to which these boys could be
sent direct from the court, without
ever seeing the inside Of convict walls.
1t seems strange to outsiders just be-
yond the line of Pennsylvania, that
Judge Patterson did not avail himself
OF the privilege of sending these boys to
SONS rsformatory institution, instead
o turning them loose to become more
, st and nuisance TO society. 1t Is true
lat criminal courts of justice are
pl ACES sadly out Of place for child ren
to cure in, but what is to be come
Of thieves and pests TO society? They
are liable % be wronged, and we know
they are often wrongsd even by pa.
rents, and not to afford them redress is
b 1t TO fill their young minds with q
hatred Of our boosted laws for the pro-
tecti IN of innocence and childhood.
The boy who prosecuted his father
may have had sufficient cause to do 80.
Tar are many Eutsl fathers we al
most daily hear OF who abuse their
Chill lren and should be prosecuted.
1t seems to US that the business Of a
Court Is to investigate case of that
kind when it comes before it, and II a
child has been brutally abused to afford
1t the protection needed. Judge Pat
terson, however, may have known the
case 10 point and have kaown tina,
there was no cause for prosecution
chat led him 70 act as he did, but there
NAV be other cas:s he knows nothing
about until the evidence is spread be
fore him, in which such peTemptory ae
uon would not be justified. 50 i'll tn
case OF the two boys charged viii
larceny. They may hare been tn
worst OF thisvss. Indeed, we are In
clined to think thas they were, from tn
fact that they were charged with stea
ing whiskey. Had they been charge
with stealing bread or meat to saNs'
the pangs of hunger the case woul
have presented different aspect.
We only refer to this case thus {
4engSh because the care, the etucado
the criminality and the rsforRssion
children Is really the Leading NOR
question of the day. With. t3e scho
horse in all we'll regplatk fsates a
pears the house OF refofdsfS4 Cor t
young. This is in keeping With t
christian spirit Of the age. In penns,
vania judges Of Courts have tho pow
In cases OF children convicted of GRIN
or indeed only charged with incurri
bility, to send them not to all or
penitentiary, where, II they enter, IL
leave hope behind, but to reformau
institutions supported by State aid.
Though the day has been long CO
ing, yet we are pleased that it has
last come when our own little STATE
Delaware is 10 have reformatory
stitution to W lich incorrigible boys
to be sen. by our j 1dges and Court
Justice instead Of sending them to j
the pillory and the lash. No youth,
far as we have ever heard, has been
formed in Delaware hy sach la
mode of trGatment. When charged
convicted OF crime the sep has al"
beea doVnward until, struggling :
the world and crime for s
season, he disappears from sight, &
down like some strong swimmer In
agony. For such row reforma
institution called tie Ferris Rel
school is abou. 10 throw open it's d.
and though lacking the name of II
of Refuge" it has lis essentials
Improvements, aud every good cit
can but hope that it Will prove
than House Of Refuge to all who
be sent to IT.,
- -
IT COST the County OF New
$36, 5S3 - to keep 2io paupers for
wear 1854 L cos. the county OF Che
adjoining it, 81 ,S0S o., TO keep exi
the same number FOR the same