Evening journal., 1904-07-26
1t Cannot Be Denied
That Defendants Were
Leading an Idle and a
Vicious Life
Duty of Parents to Main.
tain a Child So Long
As 1t Remains Com
paratiVeIy Helpless

Despite the fact that Daisy and Lille
Dillon. the two girls arrested about a
month ago on a charge OF being In dan
ger Of falling into vice, were not IN city
Court, Judge Edwin r. Cochran handed
down a decision in their case this morn-
ing.
The girls were arrested about four
weeks ago on a warrant sworn out by
three women, connected vita the Dela-
ware Industrial School, who wanted them
committed to that institution The de-
fendants were locked up on "a charge OF
poddllng without license having been
seen by several prominent women in this
city selling iron holders. but the charge
was later changed to being IN danger Of
falling into vice.
The managers Of the school showed that
the girls surroundings were not favorable
TO .hoir moral training and for that rea-
son desired to have them committed in
order that they could be taught to be-
come self-sustaining. The mother OF tho
children. however, denied ihe charges
made by the States witnesses and said
her daughters were morally good and sho
had no trouble with them.
The case was continued until the court
could give decision and in the mean
time the defendants with the other meme
bers of their family left the city. Ii IS
said that they are now camping out near
| Washington. ID. C..
Judge Cochrans decision in the case is
as follows;
Did Not Lead Idle Life.
80 II cannot be contended that tho
defendants are leading an idle and
vicious llfe." it might however be con-
tended that their solicitation from door
TO door. and living In poverty with shift
less parents place these defendants In
circumstances Of manifest danger Of fal-
ing into habits Of vice or immortality"
such n strict application OF the statute.
however. would enable us 70 hnd hum
dreds Of Girls IN our city who are placed
In such circumstances as WOULD tend to-
ward manifest danger .of their railing
into nahits Of vice or immortality Such
an application would warrant complaints
TO be made without number and would
warrant this court IN disregarding the
possibilities for good inherent In the time
honored rs.ation OF parent 20 child and
this brings us TO the consideration OF
the second question.
whether 1T appears that the welfare
of the defendants requires" that this APP
plicailon be granted
"ln considering the welfare OF the de-
fendnnts we must not only look upon the
good that would be secured by the whole
some restraints that would be given, and
the industrial habits that would be taught
In the Delaware Industrial School, but
we must consider the possible harm that
would result from the severance Of tnt
family relations now existing between
these children and their parenis. Whether
we consult the facts of history or the IN.
spirations Of human reason, the family
: may be chiefly pronounced the earliest OF
all social Institutions. Families preceded
J nations, and from them government
originated. The law OF domestic re.a.
tions Is older than that OF civil society
ana supremacy should not be forgotten
In the making of statutes and In the ap
, plication OF statutes due regard shoult
l be had for these relations. and they shoul,
not be interfered with except upon tn
severest grounds OF necessity for the wei
/. fare Of one or more OF the persons con
cerned.