The sun., 1901-06-02
Joe PHILIPPE.

Magistrate Pool has again postponed
action in tho case Of JoR PHILLIPS, the
boy whom the Society for the Proven
ton OF Cruelty to Children caught red
handed In the act OF providing food
and shelter for bis two small sisters and
incidentally for himself, by his own unadsd
exertions. In selling newspapers. running
errands, guiding about town Adolph Zeis . a
blind salesman. and in doing other odd jobs.
To be sure 1t was not the mere fact that jon
worked for living and supported himself
and those dependent upon him which
brought him within the grasp Of the law
The law got hold OF him because he was
engaged In this business while only Is
years old. At an age when peg tops should
have occupied his serious attention he
undertook to play the part OF wage Garner
and head Of the family. He led blind
man about for one thing. That brought him
In three dollars a week Then he sold news
papers and did odd jobs and that brought
him in two or three dollars more. He was
discovered while openly engaged In thus
earning much-needed money and arrested.
He and the two small sisters were seized
by the Gerry society and securely locked
up. The small sisters. aged and re-
speotively. have been handed over to the
care Of religious society. JoE's case
Is s'ill pending. lie was arralgnod Friday
morning. and again remanded TO tbs re-
straint OF the Gerry society.
While 1t is not denied that joe at the
age OF is actually did assume the part OF
head Of the family. and did. by hard work
and a very surprising degree OF self-sacri-
fee. keep himself and his sisters sheltered
and supplied with food-while this is adj
mitted. 1t is a fact that there are mitigating
circumstances which make the ultimate
disposition OF JOS matter for rather
serious judicial consideration II JoE
did thus take the helm. 1t was in a very
great crisis. The family craft, with its
regular officers swept overheard. or inca
pacitated. was drifting straight for the
rocks. The father had been dead for
four years; the mother had Just been
sentenced 10 jail for long term for drunk
enness. 4 masteress dcrruct, it was
drifting on in bowling gale straight to
an ugly lee shore. Somebody had to tako
the tler or hopeless shipwreok was Ger.
taMty. JOE took it, lie grnspcd IL with
his small hands. and his grasp stliIened
to the firm hold OF a man, for there was
in him tho resolute spirit of man who
sees his duty and meaLs to do it, Ho worked
the poor battered little craft ofY the shore
into deep water that was getting smoother
every day. A JOE truthfully admitted
when arraigned. there WAS grub fer de
kids" because he earned Ii. The grub
was cooked because he cooked II. The
kids had decent clothes because he
supplied them. They went TO school as
good kids should, because he went with
them every morning, and escorted them
safely home every evening IL had got
to be- case Of plain sailing, so far
as JOE could see. and just at that moment
a long, low. rakish looking craft, the Gerry
society to wit. came alongside. and jog
and all on board his own ship were over
powered and made prisoners
Now tho question is what Is to be done
with Jor? Magistrate PooL has received
IlhhllN lfNNtlo i4NHl I''l'A' WIZ ttt III lElo
boy the stun Of which great men are made
They want TO help him. Tho Magistrate
is holding the case open until ho finds out
who is who, and what offer seems most to
JoE's advantage
There need be no unfavorabe com.
parsons between JoE and others who.
as ful.-grown men. have failed to do what
joe az a boy succeeded in 1t may We'll
be that ss boy he could get work
where man could not. But mono the
less JOE has demonstrated that boy Of
honest head and willing heart can sup
port a small family. A tremendous crisis
and tremendous responsibility came.
and there 'osc up JOE To meet IL. Just IA
tkcrc rose up on another occasion LINCOLN
and a GEAST 10 mcCta crisis and respon-
sibility OF wider import. jos PHILLIPS
should be looked after. The country needs
all It may have like him.