The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-22
POLICE DEMAND REFORM.
COUNCIL SHOULD ACT AGAINST
BUYERS or STOLEN GOODS.
Df~honest Pnwnbrokers and second
HsnA Dealers Responsible for the
Recent Epidemic Of Larceny
Amen9 Boys Of Tender Years.

A result OF what appears 10 be an
en,1ernic OF larceny which has recently
prevailed in this city among boys rang
srv IN age from 10 to IS years, the police
Any,arsrnent announces that hencefortn
4 viii wage war against the two factors
ch.ch, Il Is contended, are most iarse'y
responsible for such lawhreakins. name
iy dime novels and the opportunities %,
tered bv unscrupulnus pawnnrokers ana
cs,ra-h.na dealers FOR the sale OF stolen
goods -..,,...
80 v.,eaegtv Tor some radical REFORM
* a,ehv rho Incentive to commit crime
nav he removed from boys VINO are
,,turaify disposed 20 lawlessness. Inc
necessity for municipal iegis'auon "hlcn
v,,ll enable the authorities to maintain
ernae surveillance over the pawnbrokers
ana secondhand dealers complained OF,
,he roisre department claims, has been
,hoxo1etyiv demonstrated within the past
wrek RI e nofnted ont that IN hve out
~ seven cases 20 which the detectives
~ she acnarsmcnt have devoted their at
fcnfiau vffhin he time mentioned " vas
a~rerfatned that the stolen articles were
yawreA or disposed Of TO dealers who,
haA thert been an ordinance bearing on
,ha auNfrct would not have dared 10
purchase the stolen goods
IN two eases the officers discovered
through the confession OF the boys i'm
plicated that the dealers had purchased
diamond pins and other articles OF jew
airy. the very character of which. II Ii
contended was suficienf evidence that
Inc articles we're not the property OF the
tuys who offered them for sale.
Two Of the lads confessed 10 the ofh-
Gers that they had sold at a pawnshop
north Of pike street the product of two
h,lrRiaries. and that they found no dim
Guilty IN 50 doing. Among the articles re-
covered from this establishment was a
diamond pin sei In an enameied leaf, dis
posed Of by a boy less than IL years Of
are The youngster stated that the pin
was purchased by the proprietor without
hesitation. though he frankly admitted
that he. himself mad anticipated some diff
"i n he y p s~'ns y two boys who were
held. a. police. headquarters on suspicion
of highway robbery were found a number
Of CHEAP yeliow back novels. which de-
and. Justified the commission OF crimes
similar e that OF which the readers were
cher o. Police Reed be,,eves In ier-
islation BY the city council prescribing
psrishment for the purchase Of goods OF
this nature from minors. and has under
consideration plan, not yet complete In
~ details. which he thinke when ma
tured Will IN measure AFFORD the de-
parsmenf some opportunity TO cope with
the evil OF which II complains. said he.
II the public knew how directly trace
able TO- this evil the commission Of petty
crime by boys was. an outraged public
sentiment would demand a remedy which
WOULD have a pronounced effect I'm lessen
ing this class OF crime. From confessions
attained from small boys arrested within
the past week I am convinced that these
dealers deliberately purchase stolen
GOODS, such as costly iewelry and other
artielef Of much value. with a full KNOW
edge that n has been secured by other
than lawful means.
~ 4 ridiculous for these dealers 10
contend that they innocentiy buy goods
~ this class from mere children in good
fatth. yet this p the excuse with which
We are invariably confronted when restf-
tuition r. demanded An ordinance pre-
scrfbing . severe penalty for the p,r-
chase Of articles OF this nature. or other
Foods clearly stolen, from minors. II en-
forced. would undoubtedly contributes
Nv his class Of Offenders
The exposure for sale at local news
stands o. dime novels OF the blood and
thunder variety also contributes its share
toward the Generalization 81 Young hays
ana there now exists urgent necessity
Tor the enactment OF an Ordinance ann.
pressing the sale OF this class OF litera-