The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-26
Wilmington Boys in Jail Who Are
They.

Yesterdays Raleigh Post says:
men awaiting trial for burglary has
been discovered.
Tuesdays Post contained an ac-
count of the arrest of the two boys, and
the story that grew out of the charges
upOn which they were held, including
the burglary Of Captain w. H. Days
residence and the larceny Of articles
of clothing from three other resi-
denceS.
when arrested the boys gave the
names of Frank and Charles Williams;
said they were brothers, and claimed
to be from Wilmington.
"A reporter of The Post began a quiet
inve igatlcn yesterday, with the re-
suit previously stated. The young
men are bro theirs, aged respectively 19
and l., end their story of hailing from
Wilmington is true. They are con-
nected with a prominent family in
that city, and it is out of respect for
the family hat their names are with
held.
1.-The career of the older boy would
furnish excellent material for a dra-
matte story. Reared by religious pa
rents, surrounded by every influence
calculated to ennOble and expand a
boys better nature, he has strayed
far from the paths of duty pointed out
by a Christian mother, and now stands
upon the brink of a trial for his life.
From his earliest days the young
man developed a mania for wrong
doing, and has probably figured in
more serious violations Of the law
than any youth of his age in the
state.
AT an early age his parents died, but
an elder brother from that a
acted nobly the parts Of father n
mother. Everything that %brotherly
love could call to mind or humane in
terest devise has been done to turn
the hayward youth from his erring
course, but nothing awaited. Drunken
sprees, fights n brawls, and minor
violations of the laws Of the land,
were but common occurrences in his
short but eventful life. and more Sc
rious offences have seemingly formed
stepping stones to a career Of crime.
The prayers and entreaties of rela-
tives, the counsel Of friends, have
been wasted, and honor and principle
apparently thrown to the winds. Nor
is this all. A younger brother, who
now occupies a prison cell with this
unfortunate boy, has been drawn into
the vortex partially by the influence
ar example of the elder. The elder
DrOIner was d Ineu1DeT Ol the rlTSI
North Carolina regiment and went
with that body to Cuba. Upon his re-
turn and discharge he enlisted in the
regular artillery service at Fort Nc
Henry for the Philippines, n he
writer last saw him in the city Of
Baltimore. The regiment Of which he
was a member is now in the Philip
pines and the young soldier is in Wake
county Jail. Whether he is a deserter
from the army is q question that may
soon be answered. If guilty Of this
offense the punishment is death. 1t is
hardly likely that the letter of the
law burglary is a capital ~offense) will
be executed in the a. of burglary,
as Captain Day does not intend to
push the case against h boys, but 1t
is hardly likely that they will get out
Of a long term in the state peniten-
tiary, as there are three separate
counts of larceny hanging over them.
1T is an unfortunate case and pre-
sents many sad features. Especially
heavy is the burden of grief upon the
relatives of the hayward youths. The
charges against them will be heard at
the January term of court"