New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-31

rHEY DESTROY HOUSES, ABUSE PEDESTRIANS AND
DEVELOP INTO ADULT ROWDIES And J4ILBTRDS

-.notaer gang case" mutters the portly door
.-ne- o. the Children's Court after the "Oyez!
t~ezr" OF the crier.
rhree BOYS have been arraigned before the -nagis-
s+. Two appear TO be Of that rare type who
ar coming home from Sunday school so intent in
.-nor1ztne 8 missionary leaflet that they pass
A., s-r+ without seeing 81 Their brown hair is
60 carefully and brushed smoothly. Their
.o+,es are new and neat. They are apparently
.shalned o. themselves
me mother Of one Of the darling boys fire.
.u.utly 6-ags out handkerchief with such -four
,sh maj even the doorkeeper blinks at it. Her sobs
sr wonderfully regular. Between the sobs there
xrs such appeals as these:
a su6ce Il wasn't his fault
IN Thomas Is such dear. good boy
-. your honor, he was led astray by a bad
J,sre snare the name Of our familyt"
~ o-rer mother is resigned. She knows that
- exhibition OF TOO much feeling is likely TO spoil
"a. performance. At any rate. she holds her tears
ln reserve ,.,-- =.
~ oonternptioly mean business" says the first
Gath
= - mean tine both men f-own at the real es-
- en- xrho has appeared for the prosecution.
= ,te Of the fact that the three boys were caught
: BANDED en- g private dwelling house. where
:, Y were cutting ont the lead pipes; IN spite Of
-arfl
: - and q plumber. who estimated the damage at
3 he fathers characterize the complainant by
g D eDithets as 'skinflint." matchmaker and
- ndreL"
a. II ne don't know boys Il be boys says tbs
1rst father -,,.. - -.
AS 4 he never wcs 2 hid hlnlseE says lii9
second father
The third lad has no parents or friends to plead
+,s cause. According TO his own stammering state
-,s,r he has got ole stepmudder, as Is On4y
+oo zlgd ven he amt eaIin' her grub. He II the
s-dins-v TOW headed. freckIed faced, snub nosed'
nj, necked barefooted kind Of youth which artists
lshsl An East Side Study" Of course, the Tow
headed youth is TO blame for the whole escapaae'
Re Is the leader OF the gang He tempted me
,-he-s The brown haired lads were all purity ana
,-e-7-v until they fen into his ins.diCUs company
The -u6Ee looks wise. The TWO 'lunocents are
committed to the custody Of their parents Inc
tracked faced scapegOat Is sent 10 proIeclof9'
The ecr.1sl case Of "ho0dlumisrn,' however IS
1fke me OF thousands which never reach the
courtroom and the newspapers. According TO Ger
tain real estate men, Who organized some Gays
zEp Tor the protection o. property asa-l-s- 1--s9
Youthful vanda-s the gang" spirit has become
fairy contagious ana is rapidly spreading rom
street. 70 street There have always been oao
r.ovs since the time Of Cain, according 10 these
good 1rer, bur neve- before 70 their kno'lease
have they become 50 Wei organized As cain IiFea
before the tine % corporations and labor unions
the tendency Of the lEe may therefore eAs. 4--
1his new phase OF an ancient evil
There have also been gangs or hoc1--rlS since
the earliest days q New rk- bur in7- con
sisted for the most part Of boys and Eols7 men
-vho were born bad" Their parents before them
-rsre either criminals or cocso-ted with criminals
They themselves wnen they grew up became crlTnI-
nails Bur the street gangs which are no" Ter
o-tzing residential districts throughout the city
80 -ecrrifeG from the best faT-il-ss. aS Wei -
- -,,s worst The leaders are FOR the most part
what are popularity characterized as tough but
many q me ''privates" commissioned OF
soa-s rs some Of these young rut1a1s ciEr--N
themselves have enlisted ''jlst for fun" Almost
every street On the Last Side Of Manhattan now
has Us gang and in some streets the different
grades Of leadership are those Of Z regular army
with e general colonel. captain, NeutellaIlls ana
subordinate officers
For example. in OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
where such AZ organized gang exists. II has for its
general an Irish Lad about fifteen years oldA who
Is known oy his in-i-ates as ''Nicky Mullins
He lives between Park and Lexington ayes, and
IS IL command Of every regiment in the entire
street There IS regiment with its colonel for
ssct r1nck and a company with its captain Tor
ezch tenement ''Alicky' has won the honor winch
he enjoys through sheer physical superiority ana
daring He is the fastest runner anc consequent
II he IS never captured. Like many other gen
al. ba knows when a retreat Is sOod as a
victory In his own language re can lick any klo
IN the street and his commands are coIlsel Ne!l1S
obeved- Il is almost safe 10 say mat -d-IhS
N,1lltrg some twenty years n the future VIII repre-
SEM his district in the TamInany Executive Coi4-
nIttee
IL Brooklyn as IN Manhattan. the gang spirit
IS rampant Here q lad was recently killed as me
-.su1t Of 8 fight between rival street gangs Up
70 that time however, the police Of that particular
re;Rbbo~hood as in many other districts OF 'he
city paid uttls g any, attention TO the hOOo-lliS'
Many 2 citizen who complained OF their Fsnla-isi
VIZ. -,a-alv told by TIE policeman 10 whom he
arpealed that both were boys themselves once For
example, the Rev. Z. Il. Wellman found II neces-
say the other day 10 gel 2 deputy sheTlII Daose
II order 70 legally protect himself against eaHe
Of hoodlums who made his life miserable
rhs boodluuos have also proved particular terror
70 women. Some tear tA~ purses Of shoppers from
Their hands OF in the surging OF q crowd they