Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-06-19
HARRY A. HOMER.

what no Is doing, and has he been In
formed Of the penalty that will be imposed
upon himf"
Eyes, SIR" replied the youth, and his
counsel said:
II have fully explained to him, your
honor, that by pleading guilty he has no
alternative but to 60 to prison for life.
He understands and appreciates the situa-
ton In all its bearings and is prepared to
suffer that punishment for his crime"
The prisoner was Harry A. Homer. 10
years old, of 1871 Steuben street, East
Orange, N. j., who was arrested on April
q Third avenue restaurant in New York.
It Is strange and remarkable story, the
life history of Harry Homer. Born of es-
timable parents, in circumstances Of COM
fort and refinement, he begnn to give EVIL
dences Of his Maynard bent when he was
hardly more than an infant and from that
time It was q struggle between parental
love and care and the criminal instincts
that were In his blood.
Through his tender years the former
held the mastery. but as soon as he reached
tho teens the latter asserted themselves
with hrepressible force, and, beginning
with cigarettes, the boy went rapidly down
the old rOad-drink, licentiousness and all
the rest, with murder at the end.
Homer Is the second son Of william J.
Homer, Q wholesale milliner. The father
Is man Of sterling character and has a
good income from his business. He lives
in o eommodious house In East Orange.
and the homo 10 one that few boys would
care to leave.
As boy Harry developed Q marked
propensity for stealing. He would not
only take objects that appeared desirable
to him, but he took everything he could
lay his hands on regardless Of its utility.
When his mother looked up the sugar to
prevent him from stealing IL, he would
pilfcr the salt and hide large quantities Of
1t in his pockets.
As he grew older and learned the value
OF money, he stole change and bills from
his fathers pockets, and repeated the Of.
fense even when he knew that trap had
been SGT to catch him.
He also became habitual liar Of a most
extraordinary kind. He would not only
tell IN untruth in order to escape punish.
ment, but would lie without any apparent
motive, even against his own interests
His lies we're so absurd that their real ma
turewas apparent to everybody. He would
sometimes invent the most fantastic stories
without the slightest basis Of truth and
without any motive for telling them, and
when asked by his father why he did IL
could give no explanation.
Mr.. Homer was greatly worried over the
traits that were developing in his son and
did everything in his power to eradicate
them and mold the boy character Alright
He exhausted every kind Of physical pun
&shmeDt and moral suasion without effect,
but continued to hope that Harry's char.
acter would change for the better a. be
grow older.
But he had already acquired Woo that
had become chronic. AZ 10 years Of are
the boy began to smoke cigarettes, and
his parents could not break him Of the
habit. Tho passion for smoking the piper
covered rolls Of tobacco seemed to increase
with the months until soon he was con-
Stunning three and four packs day, and
ut the age Of Is had made record Of ten
packs In 20 hours. Every cent be could
procure by honest OF dishonest methods
went for cigarettes.
Tho family was living in Brooklyn at
that time. and Mr.. Homer sent Harry to
the Stockton street public school. He
w1s soon turned out on account Of his bad
behavior and perniCious habits. He was
then sent to Mrs. Sharp's private school,
and learned enough there at intervals to
enter high school.
Home and school life began to pail upon
him at this time. and he determined to
run away. He went to the foot Of West
Fiftieth street In New York, where the
training ship Minnesota was lying, and
enlisted rs an apprentice BY giving his age
a. ~. He easily imposed upon the exam
lining officers. for be was tall, and big for
his years.
He was transferred to the apprenticc
ship Jamestown, and made . voyage 70
England and Madeira. Aboard the ship he
found the society he craved. In Plym-
outh. England, he was ashore with . lot
Of sailors one night and drank his nrst
glass Of beer. He liked IL, and from that
Instant became . drunksrd.
Before the voyage was over whisky had
become his favorite beverage After two
yeas be deserted and went back to his "a
Tiers homo hardened, absolute man Of
the world, familiar with every form Of
vice ut the age Of 10.
MT. Homer made last heroic UtrugR3e
to reform his son. He gave him evsfy.
thing be could desire. and secured him =
good position But his vices were too desp
rooted Re lost eqs position afssr another