The Indianapolis journal., 1903-04-04
JUVENILE COURT SLATE
TROUBLE CAUSED By A BALL GAME
ON A TOWN LOT.
IL Aroused the Wrath of a Woman,
Who Burned the BaI1-YOuthful
Offenders Lectured.

Judge Stubs in the Juvenile Court yes
terday heard the usual number Of COM
plants of bad boys and girls and admin
istered Justice to the youthful offenders
with lectures intended for their future well
fare. The stories told were not without
their humorous and pathetic features. One
Of them served to refresh the memories of
the court attaches and remind them OF the
trials and tribulations Of the city-bred
youth in his ambition to play baseball.
The story was told IN the trial of Walter
and Robert Stewart, age seventeen and
fifteen. two pupils of the Manual Training
High School, who live at 14O9 Cornell ave-
nue.. The boys were charged with assault
and battery on Mrs. Alice McKjrath, a
colored woman who lives at 1910 East Fif-
teenth street. Walter was also charged
with profanity. 1t being alleged that he had
called Mrs. McElrath several names to
show his disgust with her for breaking up
the game OF scrub" the cause OF all the
trouble.
According to Mrs. McElrath's story and
that of her husband, a white man, and her
little daughter, number Of boys engaged
In a ball game at Fifteenth street and Cor
nell avenue a week ago, and during the
game fly was batted by one of the play
ers so hard that the ball fell on the roof of
Mrs. McElrath's house and rolled from the
roof into neghbor's yard. Mrs. McEl-
rath, indignant at the outrage and exas-
perated at the conduct OF the boys, one of
whom, she said, wore an electric smile,"
1t into her kitchen stove. The boys wanted
the ball, and one of them, Rober; Stewart,
knocked on the door, and when the woman
came at his call asked for the ball. Mrs.
McElrath carried fire shovel and a stick
of cord wood when she appeared at the
door, and. reinforced by her daughter.
drove the boys from her yard. Young
Stewart says she struck him in the eye
with the fire shovel, but Mrs. McElrath
denied II.
TRIED TO USE BALL BAT.
During the progress of his retreat the
boy lifted the bat he was carrying and
swung for his pursuer's head. She "ducked"
and received the blow on the arm. Robert
said he didn't strike at her head, but
closed his statement to the Judge by say
ing, "Then hit her." After the boys had
left the yard Mrs. McElrath says she was
wounded in feeling and chagrined at their
conduct. zone of them called me several
hard Names" she said. They abused me
and acted like a mob. Before / came to
the door one Of them said: Kick the door
in and / was frightened, because they
acted like a mob. One Of them said TO my
little daughter: Go on in, you nigger' He
didn't say negro, judge; he said 'nigger.' :"
After a number OF arguments about trivial
points in the caSe-one being over whether
the first base was located in front of the
McElrath home or not-Judge Stubbs lec-
tured the boys and suspended judgment
during their good behavior. He issued a
permanent injunction against ball playing
around Mrs. McElrath's home, and said he
would deal severely with the boys If they
bothered her any more
John Miller, Mile Robinson and Robert
Ingram were arraigned for idling and loi-
are accused OF having disturbed the peace
Of mind of the principal and the studies
and North streets. The boys furnished
study In colors as they lined up before
the judge. The oldest of them. the Miller
boy, is brown, the smallest, Robert Ingram
yellow, and Millie Robinson, whose idling
and lettering was said by the police to take
the form of sleeping on bread boxes in
front of grocery stores, Is black. Their
voices ranged from the basso of the latter
to the falsetto of Ingram, who although
small. is said to be very mischievous. The
boys explained to the court that they
didn't mean nothin' by stoppin' in front
o. the school," and were finally released
on suspended sentences. One of them.
Miller, showed a keen sense of humor
and when the police said he was bad boy
intimated that he could prove that he
wasn't. He offered to bring his mother
into court to prove that he was a good boy.
and when told of the amount of testimony
that proved him wholly bad, said: "Well.
some people are liable to say anything"
A GIRL RELEASED.
Judge Stubbs released Annie Letter. six
teen years old. charged with incorrigibility.
on the promise that she would remain
home with her mother at 12s North New
Jersey street. Annie is the girl who caused
so much trouble at the police station one
night last week.
Edith and Ella Elliott. two sisters. who
julius G. Walk & Son, were fined s. and
costs, but the sentences were Suspended
during their good behavior. Several other
cases were disposed of, and two or three
ers in the court. were sentenced to light
punishment by Judge Stubbs, in spite of
their tears and promises TO be good in the
future.