The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-06
THE STINGS OF JUSTICE
A DAYS RECORD OF CASES IN THE
JUVENILE COURTROOM.
Boys Spanked and Fined for Stealing
Wire, Copper, Money and Wheat
Court Incidents.

While Christian Vehling. nine years old,
Fred Jacobs twelve years old. and Will
liam Roepke, ten years old, stood in the
prisoners dock in Juvenile court yester-
day afternoon. charged with cutting cleo
trio wires from the city police box. and
Judge Stubs began in his fatherly manner
to tell the youngsters of the seriousness or
their crime, tears filled their eyes and they
seemed to have a keen sense OF their pre-
dicament. They were told by City Elec-
trician Charles Woerner that the box from
which the wires had been cut was the
main box for the southeast part of the
city, and when it was put out of use by
the boys that the whole territory was left
without protection. Judge Stubs told the
boys that if a riot or fire or any serious
accident had occurred in their locality
while the wires were cut the city would
have been greatly embarrassed by failure
to get word to headquarters. AS the judge
spoke to the boys each began crying and
using his handkerchief freely.
The boys were placed under arrest by
Werner and Patrolman Bernauer Wednes-
day afternoon. AS Bernauer went to the
box on Sanders street he found the side
walk filled with broken particles of wire.
When he opened the box and pulled the
alarm it would not work. He began an
investigation, and learned that the three
boys had cut the wires from the box and
also the overhead wires that lead to the
station. The stolen wire was found at the
homes of the boys. Mr.. Woerner estimated
that thirty-five patrol boxes south of the
Union station had been made useless by
the work or the boys.
When Judge Stubs heard the evidence
ne TOOK In consideration the truthful stories
told by the boys, who admitted their
work, and also their previous good rec
ords and clean appearances in court, and
said he wes sorry that a training school
/ mad not been provided to which he could
| send the boys. He said he did not care
| TO fine them, as it was their first offense.
The only punishment he could give them,
| ne said, was good fiogging Young ia
/ eobs was taken into the basement by his
/ mother, and in the presence of Patrolman
Bernauer twenty-five lashes were given
the boy. The other two boys were whipped
last last night after supper by their fathers.
| 1hey were detained in the matrons office
/ until the parents had come from work
another boy who felt the sting of JUS
ice yesterday, as a result of being a pris-
| oner In Juvenile Court, was Eddie Wood
| FORD, colored boy twelve years old He
was charged with assault and battery. II
was said that he threw a large cobble-
| stone and seriously injured Lyman Parker
colored. eight years old. The Parker boy
| was in court dressed in an immaculate
| white waist, dark trousers and patent
| leather shoes. His assailant did not sheC
| any tears until Judge Stubs began to lee.
| ture him on the seriousness of the crime
| A line was imposed on the boy but this was
| RENTED on condition that the father, who
was present, take the boy into the cellar
| and give him a whipping. This was done anC
| the boy was allowed to go home.
Chug Wilkins. colored, and Buck
| Collins, white, were arraigned on the charge
or petit larceny. 1t was said they sold -four
POUNDS OF copper to man for % cents A:
| the man drove away with his wagon the
| boys again stole the copper. When asked
| what they did with the money Wilkins saiC
they bought beer and candy Both are yer,
| large boys and are employed with thei
| fathers in driving sand wagons 1t wa.
said by the policeman who arrested then
that they did clever job in stealing tn
copper. After they disposed of IL to a iunl
man one of the boys climbed on the sea
and engaged the man in conversation abou
another sale while the other boy took tn
copper and disappeared down an alley
After riding with the man about half ,
block the boy jumped off the seat and ran
Judge Stubs sent both boys to Jail TO
eleven days.
! Herman Higgins, a small colored bo-
charged with stealing four gold rings. val
ued at $40, from Mrs Tyner, at 319 Nortl
Delaware street. pleaded guilty and wa
Immediately sent to the grand Jury. He ha,
been helping Mrs. Tyner move and Will
she left a room he stole the rings and hi
them under back step.
Frank Schwankhouse, Elmer Donnell,
and Harry Doty, three small boys charge
with stealing one busheI of wheat fror
| the Acme mills, were dismissed after get
ting good lecture from the Judge Tn
boys seemed TO have been dealing extensive
ly In wheat as they gave the court tn
names of several West Side merchants I
| whom they sold their wheat.