The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-28

Faginism has grown upon the east side dnti the academy of the professional teief Is now placed in competition with the public schools. Sporadic cases have been reported from time to time showing the existence of these centres for the teaching of theft, but they only served to renew the references to the youth be- trayed into Fagin's den by the Artful Dodger, and were forgotten until the next occurrence of the kind was brought to notice. The conditions now are such that neither the police, the District Attorney, nor educators can escape from the fact that there Is crisis on the east side as serious as that which prompted the Eng fish novelist to write "Oliver Twist :"
 It cannot be said that the section is overwhelmed with the dishonest, for that would be far from the truth. It is true, nevertheless that for twenty years the evil influences of the academies of Fagin , have been at work until the authorities responsible for the care of the young have been compelled to take up n cru- sade against band of criminals tsho,5 fiii- less checked. will corrupt and ruin thous. ends5 of the brighest and keenest pupils of the public school system of New York city.
 Among those who are devoting their energies to abolishing the present state of affairs there is none who has been more active than Miss Julia Richman, su- perintendent of the Second and Third districts. where school houses centre around what is now great Fagin insti- tute. William Seward Park. Similar con ditions may be found in the Fourth and Fifth districts, and even far up town. but it is in the region between the Bow and fha YfUAr Grand and Canal Streets that the evil Is the greatest and the most drastic remedies are required
 Twenty Fagins have been traced in that section, and they and their pupils number not less than 800. Thirty arrests have been made since. the beginning of the school year, and two of the alleged in- structors have been brought before spe- cial Sessions. The number of captures which. have been made does not in any way indicate the extent of operations of those who turk about the schools seeking opportunities to enlist the pupils for their Iight-fngered army.
 The police. the District Attorney, and the Board of Education are allies against the preceptors of vice. and Miss Rlchman. who is the standard bearer, has a detec- tive under her personal direction.
 likeness was one of the causes which created the New York Fagin The influx VI AoiSASh lihihtbIdhOu m locf OVeTWneIn1- ed the educational facilities of the East Side. and by 1898 there were hundreds unable to go to school if they wished. be- cause there was no room for them. From the ranks of these idlers and wanderers came numerous Fagins. for q majority of those who are now engaged in their nefarious calling are not of age, and sev- eral of the most notorious are only sev- enteen or eighteen years old. It is be- lieved that when the investigations are completed it will be found that most of those who are seeking to lead the pupils of the schools into thlevery were turned loose as boys of ten years to walk tho streets of the city.
 It is from this nucleus that the Influence of Faginisu Is spreading. for each centre every month makes skilled thieves ani many of the boys who are especially pro- ncient found schools of their own by the