The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-16
INCORRIGIBLE BOYS.
Small Thieves Arraigned Before
Judge Hudspeth = Me-
Donough Sat On.

Just before leaving the Court House
yesterday afternoon Judge Hudspeth sent
over to the County Jail for James Kerri-
gan and John Devan, who had been sent
up by committing Magistrates, Kerrigan
from Hoboken and Devan from Bayonne.
Kerrigan was brought in first by Deputy
Sheriff Wedin.
Here comes that notorious and dan
gerous criminal remarked Assistant
Prosecutor Noonan.
All eyes were turned toward the door
and following Deputy Sheriff Wedin was
a ragged little urchin in ragged jacket
and knee pants which had been patched
SO much that only an expert could tell
which was the original garment and
which the reconstruction. He wore
white stockings and shoes which were
thoroughly ventilated at the toes and
sides. When man wears such shoes he
is said to be walking on his uppers. The
little fellows face and hands had been
washed by Matron Murray before he left
the jail and his hair combed, SO that he
looked clean. Kerrigan is the boy who
had notoriety thurst upon him recently
by Recorder McDonough. The police ar
rested him with unfailing regularity for
stealing and the Recorder discharged him
with equal regularity. The Recorders ex-
cuse for his action, and he never neglect
ed to announce it when he discharged the
incorrigible little thief, was that Judge
Hudspeth would criticise him severely if
he should send such a young boy up to
the Hill to be tried. His immunity from
punishment emboldened young Kerrigan
ana ne DoaSted that he wasn't afraid of
me ne cops cops. They might arrest him, but
the boy was leaving the Recorders court
one morning after his customary dis
said:-
Well, Johnny, what are you going to
steal today?''
Il dunno yet, Chief" replied the
youngster with smile which spread all.
over MS face. Il haven't made up me
mlnd- Mebbe I'll SWipe a trolley car
soon after he was arrested for trying
to break penny-in-the-slot machine. and
the recorder. who had probably become
the boy, committed him to the County
Jail for trial -
The prisoner was entirely self-possessed
When he was arraigned in court yester-
learned that his father and mother are
habitual drunkards, who are constantly
lighting, and that they are now in the
body to take care of him.
understand you're pretty bad boy
said the Judge.
mo, sir,' replied the urchin, showing
his disregard for the truth
You are one of Recorder McDonough's
pets, l underStand?''
The boy made no answer
Judge Hudspeth then questioned Devan.
He is about the same size and the same
age as Kerrigan, about ten years. lie
is charged with stealing coal in Bayonre,
and an, mas been arrested a number of times.
tod oof hrt t,<,xl 49,
but said that his father compelled him to
90 it, and beat him severely if he re-
FUSED Judge Hudspeth said he would
have the boys statement investigated,
and would issue warrant for the elder
Devan's arrest if it was true SO that he
mlglht share in the punishment. After a
IeW moments OF silence the Judge said -
In the case of these boys, Kerrigan and
Devan the Court is at a loss what to do.
ne Neither n OF II, them m Is more than ten years
ceny. The Kerrigan boy has been ar
rested a number of times charged with
city offences. 1t is evident that he IS
Of his acts. His father and mother are
at present in the County Jail The boy
has no home and no proper influences to
save him from a criminal life
The Devan boy says that his father
compelled him to go out and steal coal
and that he was in the habit of beating
hi him when he failed to steal enough OF it,
The boy has been arrested several times
for the same offence The proper dis
position of these two cases is a serious
problem for the Court. If I discharge
them the Kerrigan boy goes back to the
street and its temptations and the Deyan
boy to his old life. There is no institu-
ton for their reformation excepting the
Reform School and I hesitate to send
boys of their tender age there if it is
possible to avoid it. / am impressed with
the belief that the salvation of these bows
requires that they be removed from the
baneful influence of their parents, and
that is sad commentary. I see nothing
to do but commit them to the Reform
School, -
This boy Kerrigan seems to have been
q great source of tribulation to Recorder
McDonough of Hoboken. This Magis-
trate has expressed great apprehension
as to the serious depredations this child
might commit If allowed to remain at
large, but because he feared criticism by
this Court he discharged the boy several
TIM The last time the enormity Of the
bot threat-that he would steal trolley
car-so Impressed the Recorder that he
held him for stealing a lead pencil and
committed him to the County jail to be
disposed of by this court The Recorder
deserves great credit for his fear of what
this Court might say of his action. If
the Recorder however, will simply per-
form his duties properly in matters before
him and refrain from wasting his valu..
action of this Court, he will find that he
has all that he can possibly do
kerrigan was called up again and Judge
Hudspeth asked him if he wanted to be
tried by the Court or wait to be indicted
by the Grand Jury.
I want to go home,'' the boy replied
trying to dry some tears out of his eyes
Dy vigorous application of his knuckies.
AFTER the matter was explained to him he
decided to be tried by the Court. Both