Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-12-30
TRAPS FOR THE UNWARY
PITFALLS THAT ARE LAID FOR
COUNTRY BOYS.
what Chief Inspector Byrnes OF New
York Has to Say on the subject
To Secure u situation LIS
Difficult Thing.


and to be led into life OF crime.
steady work but it is the boy with
no occupation and nothing TO depend
ON for living who is surest to be led
a5tray.
Boys who come to the city on their
own account and especially il they
have run away from home. very soon
find that to secure a situation is a
most difficult thing-in the great ma
jority OF cases impossible.
In few days at the farthest what
ever small capital the boy has is al
most gone and in the efforts to live
as cheaply as possible he drifts into
one OF the cheap lodging houses
which abound in certain parts OF the
city.
This is q long downward step
writes Thomas Byrnes in the Youths
Companion. These lodging houses
are often frequented by criminals ex-
convicts and the like. These quickly
lna6e friends with the stranger who.
IN his loneliness and disappointment
in the great city. is glad of any COM
partnership and grateful for any
words Of kindness.
In short time the boy is at the
mercy OF his friend" and unless he
should be sought by his parents and
rescued by the police the chances
are ten to one that he will find his
way to the state prison.
A few weeks ago the residents of
Spring Valley. l. l.. were started by
the news that a daring burglary had
been committed in the HOUSE, OF
farmer there. The burglars. before
attempting to enter the house had
called the watch dog to them. and
seized and choked him A ladder
was then placed against the house
and one OF the thieves entered sec
ond-story window and plundered the
house.
While in pawn shop on Canal
street one OF my detectives saw a
bright looking German lad trying to
dispose OF some clothing. The boys
action aroused Suspicion. and the de-
tective asked him how he came in
possession OF the articles. The
answers were unsatisfactory and the
boy was arrested.
After he had been locked up a low
hours he told this story:
my name is Jacob Wagner | am
10 years old and was born in Ger
many. | have been ia this country
six months. | ran away from home
because my parents wanted me to be-
come a soldier. After my arrival
here secured employment with a
farmer at Spring Valley
He treated me we'll but / got
tired and wanted to see some city
life My wages were small and when
came back to New York had only
a little money. At night / drifteJ
into lodging house on the Bowery
and got bed
The next morning. while sitting
in the reading room OF the lodging
house looked for some one TO speak
German with. Thus | made the ac-
quaintance OF Charles Pfeiffer who
introduced me to John Heinrichs.
They soon found out where | had
been since coming TO this country.
Then they wanted TO know il the
farmer for whom ! worked at
Spring Valley was rich. Pfeiffer ask ed
me If wanted TO make some money.
| told him | had no money. and would
like to have some.
Then he asked me to show him
tho farm aud said that he would fur
nish tho money to go there.
We'll they took me out to Spring
Valley After the farmers family
had gone 10 bed we went 10 tho
house told Pfeiffer that the farm
err had a savage dog. He tod me 10
call the dog to me- / did So and he
caught it and choked it to death.
Then they robbed the house and
came back 10 the city. Pfeiffer and
Heinrichs made me try to dispose OF
the booty, and was doing SO when
you began to question me-"
This boy can hardly escape being
sent to prison or a reformatory. and
possibly this lesson may be sufficient
to induce him to lead an honest life
on his release. IL he had not been
caught he would have gone on until
he had become onfrmed criminal.
Even boys who obtain employment
! are by no means free from tempta-
ton. Their wages are small and
very often they may have a strong
desire to spend more money than
they have. II at such time boy is
intrusted by his employer with money
10 carry 10 n bank or for any other
purpose. there is grave danger that
he will become a thief.
The habit Of going to the theater is
bad one for boys. For ten or fifteen
cents they can secure admission 10
the family circle OF cheap East side
theat.rs where they are sure TO see
either blood and thunder melo-
drama or at least some piece which
gives them false and distorted views
OF life and is calculated TO inhame
their Imagination injuriously.
Another place OF evil influence is
the pool room where even very
small bets are taken on tho results OF
the contests on the race tracks. The
habit OF betting in these places is
most demoralizing. and If boy once
acquires it the chances are that 40
will be tempted 10 steal IL he has an
opportunity, In order to make good