The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-08-23
YOUNG HIGHWAYMEN.
Two Small Boys Rob
Another of Fifty Cents
Hopelessly De-
PRAYED.

Joseph Smith, nine years old, of No.
l53 York street, and Manford Tuttle ten
years old, of No. 76 Morris street, are
awaiting the action of the Grand Jury
on charge of robbery They were ar
rested by Detective Lee, on complaint of
Mrs Louise Meirs, of No. 205 Warren
street Mrs. Meirs complained that her
nlne-year-old son, Frank, had been held
up on Warren street by the two prisoners
ana fifty cents stolen from him. She
SAID she had given Frank dollar bill
TO make some purchases. He had fifty
cents change when he came out Of a
store The two boys were waiting for
him. They demanded to know what he
mad. He started to run home but he
! was handicapped by the bundles and was
soon overtaken. Smith held his arms
while Tuttle rified his pockets. When
they had taken the money they sent
Meirs on his way with a stinging blow
on the ear. Their parting words warned
their victim not to tell what had hap
pened on pain of a severe punching.
Meirs hastened home and told his
mother what had occurred. Mrs. Meirs
went to Tuttie's home She saw the
boy in the street making a big stick of
candy and proud in the possession of a
pack of cigarettes. When the return of
the money was demanded Tuttle scorn-
fully laughed. Smith went further when
| he was asked about the money His re-
ply was
law, go chase yerselfl Say, you kid,
If I get hold er We 1 won't do a ting
ter yer.''
That settled his case Mrs Meirs de-
Cidad n bar he
tice Hoos issued warrant and the
youngsters stood in the dock as different
in their manners as possible. Smith had
always taken the lead outside, but the
seriousness of his position, which he
could well understand because he has
been there dozen times before, made
him weaker and he wept. Tuttle was
moved at the first hearing but was cool
and unconcerned at the REORGANIZATION
What have you boys to say for your
| selves?" asked Justice Hoos
Between his sobs Smith said:-seWe
didn't take fifty cents; we only took
thirty cents.''-
| That admission led to their being held.
| Il am undecided what to do with these
| boys because of their youth" said JUS
| tice Hoos. Smith has been in this court
number of times and seems to be sadly
in need of correction. 1 hold them so
that they may be brought before the no
/ tice of Judge Blair. The parents of
both boys have despaired of their future,
| and if it is wise to place them in
proper institution Judge Blair can act"
1t is a most unusual thing to hold per
/ sons so young for the Grand Jury The
| pail was fixed at $500 each
George Tuttle, father of Manford, told
Justice Hoos that the boy had gone be-
yond his control. He said the boys
| mother is hopelessly insane. She was re-
cently olscharged from an asylum and
| it IS now necessary to place her there
again. An older brother is now in prison
serving term for the theft of copper
wire from telegraph poles. Mr. Tuttle
said 1t would be best to have the boy
| placed in an institution where he would
| be beyond the influence of evil compan-
I IONS
The Smith boy has often boasted that
| he is the toughest boy in Jersey City
At an outing given the poor children of
the city, last summer, he strutted about
making this boast and doing everything
ne could think of to substantiate it. 1t
was necessary to forcibIy suppress the
boy.
At that time Smith came before the
notice of Miss Cornelia Bradford of the
| Whittier House Miss Bradford did ev-
| erything possible to redeem the youth
and she and her ceworkers We're of the
opinion that they were succeeding in a
iidiu ldSA SInltn showed his gratitude
| by stealing a bank containing IS one day.
The bank contained the savings of a
number of thrifty children who had been
| induced to place their pennies in the
Penny Provident Fund. The money was
the collection of one day. The bank,
| smashed and robbed of its contents, was
| later found in Smiths rear yard. He
admitted the theft and told of numerous
| excursions he enjoyed on his ill-gotten
gains He was arrested but was allowed
charges on which Smith has been brought
before the police courts were vagrancy
and begging. Several times he had en-
| tered station houses late at night un-
noticed by those in charge and found the
next morning asleep in a corner.