The morning call., 1893-03-16

OF whom are young men, are ushered into the
interior of the van, the boys gather around
TO ask what each sentence is, and it is too
speedily apparent that so far from the reply
acting as warning or deterrent, the young
steFS seem TO regard the prisoners as heroes,
and society as their organized prosecutors.
When the Black Maria is filling up slowly
and things are dull in the criminal lne
these young guuer-students are always
ready for rush to the portal of the ReceiY-
ing Hospital close by.
Let some poor, stricken creature be
brought TO the door in the hurry up"
wagon, and there Is an ugly rush which is
only checked when the portals are closed in
their faces. Even then, on the slightest
pretense, the boys Will crowd into the ante
room and give vent to unfeelng remarks or
make impertinent Inquiries.
There are certainly not less than fifty or
sixty OF these idle lads who beset the door
ways six days week. They make no
secret of their toughness and their hoodlum
aspirations.
When so e exceptionally promising NOR
phine tiend or youthful jail-bird presents
his face at the barred window of the Black
Maria after the Sheriff's deputy has dumped
him inside a chorus of youthful voices is
heard in sympathy. In nine cases out of
ten the criminal is smoking and smiling.
He Is the hero of the hour, that is evident,
and he is proud of Ii.
free=and-easy conversation is carried
Ou bbbNttu llle Jdll-ulIu anu HIS young
friends, who crowd right up 10 the wheels
OF the wagon, While the younger lads prick
up their ears to hear every word of the
conversation. Here is q sample of it:
What did you ger. Bill?"
1.-Two years in San Quentin"
''What shall | say to Mollie?"
"rell her Pm all right. Aud say--(here
comes a half audible injunction to secrecy) -
tell her not to go back on Bill"
After this Bill putfs fierceIy at his cigar
ette, the boys do likewise, and then Bill
narrates the circumstances of his crime and
conviction.
1t is safe to say that the only emotion
stirred up in the minds of the youthful
listeners who have not yet transgressed
the law is an intense desire to emulate
risen to the dignity of criminals, but they
hope TO.
do you know" said thoughtful citizen
to The CALL reporter, while the latter
was making a sketch of the felon face at
the window. "dosyou know what makes
these boys thieves and criminals?
ut is not instinct, Itis not the desire to
do wrong. 1t is neglect by drunken fathers
and reckless mothers. These boys read
nothing but the worst class OF cheap oves,
and any news-vender in town will tell you
that the lads can be relied on TO steal one of
these trashy publications the moment the
storekeeper's back is turned The heroes
of these novels are the very class of young
men you see inside that wagon. The bows
read the fiction and then come here to ad-
mire the originals.
Chief Crowley might spare one of his
men with club right here for one or two
mornings to give these young hoodlums a
little of the medicine he is dispensing TO the
highbinders in Chinatown"
1t looks as II no harm would be done by
the Sheriff instructing his deputies to cut off
the cigarette business inside of the Black
Maria, and especially TO discourage the man.
ufacture of criminals carried on by jail
birds at the van window.