The sun., 1904-12-09
THIS LITTLE GIRL VERY BAD.
so BAD THAT KINGSLAND FOLK
WANT HER OUT OF THE WAY.
She's Only Twelve. but She's stabbed Boy
and Kept Married Men Busy Denytps
False Storics-"The Devils In the KID
says Uncle billy Byron, the Constable.

False Storics-'The DeNf's In the Eid,'
says UncIe Biliy Byron, the Constable.
Ida Colby, a blue eyed red cheek ed
little girl of twelve. has put the village Of
Kingsland, n. j., son the blink as one
citizen expressed it. To look at Ida one
would think that she is just the sort of child
to have Alice in Wonderland adventures,
and that ooddling yellow haired doll
would be the most exciting thing in life for
her, but Ida has stabbed a little boy, threat
ened to cut another and, Uncle Billy Byron.
the constable, Gays, has circulated reports
about the best citizens Of the village that
made their domestic relations decidedly
uncomfortable until these slandered ones
convinced their wives that the child was
not telling the truth
This most peculiar child, whom Kings-
land people want TO get rid OF as soon as
possible, is as active and muscular as
boy Of her age Would be. She Is sturdy,
healthy and perfectly normal in appearance.
When she plays baseball with the little boys
Of Kingsland she can swat the ball harder
and further than any youngster in knick-
erbockers. When 1t comes to running
bases and stealing second Ida is wonder.
She Is sure death on flies that come TO the
outfeld and her batting average in the
Kingsland Juvenile League Is Al. When
it comes to playing football Ida can boot
the pigskin with certainty, and when she
tackles she isn't afraid Of rumpling her
hair.
About year ago Ida got into trouble
at the village school. She tore pages out
of her copy book, linked the primers OF
some of the other children and did things
that brought upon her the wrath OF Surt.
Powell. For these things she was expelled.
Afterward she got back. Then notes
scrawled on school pad paper began to
appear. They shocked the superb ntendent
and Kingsand folks Children to whom
they were sent complained, and Ida was sus-
pended.
After that, Kingsland people say she told
stories about married men in town which
took some time to prove false and in the
meantime the child's assertions had stirred
the town up until il was a hornets nest
On top Of these things came complaints
from children Ida had associated with that
she intended to stick little knives into them
and to kill them if they did not do what she
wanted them to do in playing with her.
Over a month ago nine-year-old otto
Boyer, the son Of Mrs. Sophia Boyer, went
to get some kind ing wood Tor Mrs T.. NJ
Grifnes Idas little brother got into fuss
with otto and threw stones at him. He
called for his capable sister, and Ida ran
to his hep. Mrs. Grimes says that Ida
grabbed Otto. threw him down., punched
MIN in the face and then stabbed him In the
cheek with knife.
otto ran home screaming. His father
and mother and Mrs. Cir lines thought "
was time something was done to suppress
Ida. Mrs. Boyer made a complaint charg-
ing Ida with assault and on TUESDAY, her
twelfth birthday anniversary. Constable
John Dunn of Hackensack arrested her
and put her in the lookup. Then Mr.. Grimes
and othe- got Judge Cummings of Hacken-
sack to bind lC.a over TO X sep the peace
Wednesdav she was re'ea sed on 81 70 Pill.
Mr.. Grimes. Mr.. Beyer and other Kings
land people who thought something ought
to be done toward getting the child out OF
the town drew up a petition to the town
Council and got it signed by dozen citizens
of the village. The petition recited that
Ida was menace to the peace OF the com.
munitv and asked the town Council to send
her to corrective institution. The village
fathers deliberated over the petition and
decided that it was not their place to take
srth action. They thought Ida's mother and
father were the ones to put her in an in
stitution. The Counclmen talked over
Ida case for two hours, but they couldn't
see their way clear to do what the petition
asked.
Now she has been ordered to appear
before the Grand Jury and Pingsland
people who are nervous while ida is at
large want the Grand Jury TO order her
sent to some institution. Her mother and
father have been loyal to the girl and refuse
to believe she has done the things she has
been charged with, Yesterday Mrs. Colby
said
Ida is a good girl. and the things said
about her are all lies. Her father has had
money difficulties with some of the men
whose names were signed to that petition,
and they are trying to get even by making
trouble for Ida. Some OF these people
here think we are making too much money.
and are stuck up because we are prosper
Gus, and they are jealous OF us.
Ida sat with folded hands and chastened
spirit, but she was not averSe TO saving
what she thought OF some of the hlngsland
people who told the town council that she
was a menace TO the community and an
ever present source Of danger.
Just because have more new dresses
than some of the girls. why they try to
run me down and tell lies about me. You
can bet that Pm not afraid to take my own
these smart kids, why their paras and
mammas got sore.
Uncle Billy Byron, who has been truant
officer and constable OF kingsland since
the time the memory Of man runneth not
10 the contrary, says Ida has given him
more worry and trouble than ell the other
children of Kingsland put together.
sYou wouldn't believe what devil is in
that kid said Uncle Billy emphatically.
Il have chased her until my legs were sore
irving to get her to go TO school. She's
got a temper like wildcat, and the chill
dren of Kingsland are afraid to cross her.
But tie worst OF it is she has got ar
Imagination that's dangerous. You
wouldn't think the worry she has given to
peaceahle, respectable married men who
wouldn't look at a woman they had no
business to-