New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-31
TRAPPING SMALL BOYS.

The highly interesting decision of the Supreme
Judicial Court of Massachusetts, concerning small
boys and gilded railroad turntables is, perhaps
deserving of another word. We cannot, we re-
greet to say, agree with the learned judges in their
opinion of the case We incline, rather toward
the ingenious view Of the clever attorney for the
plaintiff. If an appeal is possible we hope that
one will be taken
1t will be remembered that the small boy went
to play on the railroad table and while there
disportng himself WAS injured. The parents of
the boy promptly sued the company which owned
the turn-tabe. The defence made by the COM
pany was, Of course, that the small boy had 10
right to be on the turn-tabe, and if he got hurt
there it not the company's fault. The com
pany did not erect the turn-tabe for the accom-
mediation of the neighboring small boys. and if
the small boys flocked to it ana were deceived
thereby, and had their young limbs broken in
the same the company felt in no way responsible
At first sight this looks reasonable, but we be-
lieve that any fair-minded man who knows small
boys will see its weakness when he examines the
argument put forward by the attorney for the
plaintiff. In the first place. he points out that
the turn-table not ordinary inconspicuous
affair which a small boy might pass by on the
other side and perhaps not notice at all, but was,
two long, upright standards whicls could be seen
by every small boy in town. 1t was
also constantly kept unlocked, and could be
easily turned around, afordng small-boy
sport of the very highest order. Indeed it would
not surprise him if the able judges themselves could
find enjoyment III riding around on that turn
table. Any turn-table, even a fiat and rusty one,
was an attractive object to a small boy so how
much more auring was this bright red turn-table
with the high standards constantly beckon-
ing to every small boy that passed
The turn-tabe simply tempta-
ton too strong for small-boy flesh and blood
to resist AS well unhead a molasses barrel
in July and expect no flies to gather round it,.
Here continued counsel, stood the siren turn-table,
waving its bewtching arms and ever singing this
low, L0rele-like song: Come unto me, small
boy; leave thy top and thy kite and thy bean
shooter with which thou pluggest out the eye Of
the first citizen, and come unto me and ride about
upon me as thou wouldst ride upon a merry-go-
round. Come, oh, small boy comet" Naturally.
added learned counsel, small boy went. He was
there on the invitation, which no sane person could
expect him TO resist, OF the company as its guest,
and it was the cOmpany's duty to protect him and
see that he did not get his fingers caught in the
mechanism. But this the company did not do,
and counsel asked damages in the sum Of s., 900.
Nevertheless, as we have said, the Supreme Jul
dicia Court ruled against the plaintiff and vir-
tually said that railroad company in Massa-
chusetts has the right TO erect as dangerous
small-boy trap it pleases, bait it as seductively
it pleases, and catch us many small
boys in it as it pleases. We believe that any
body who knows the nature of small boys will say