The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-18
BOY SWINDLER
To REFORMATORY
CASES WERE MOL PRESSED.
WILL BE SENT TO JUNIOR GEORGE
REPUBLIC IN NEW YORK.

Pathetic Letter from Mother of the
Youthful Criminal Was Considered
by the Judge in Making Up His
DecisiOn-Said She Would Rather
Have Him Killed Than for Him to
Go to the Work Farni-MiIIer
Smiled When Judge Rendered His
Decision.
With a smile on his face for the first
time since he was locked up here Har-
ry T. Miller, the boy swindler, heard
Judge Seabrook give his consent yes
terday for the transfer of the indict-
ments against him to the dead dock
ct, with the understanding that he be
sent to the Junior George Republic in
New York.
The cases against the boy swindler
were presented to Judge Seabrook
when court convened. Statements
were made by his attorneys, Messrs.
Edward Abrams and A. Pratt Adams.
Judge Seabrook was not inclined to
act hastily, and stated that he would
take the matter under advisement.
Shortly afterwards pathetic letters
from the boys mother were submitted
to him. The mother asked that if
there was no alternative but to send
the boy to the work house she would
rather they would kill him. AS soon
as he read these letters, and those
from the chief of police of Birming-
ham and Solicitor General Heff1in,
Judge Seabrook gave his consent to
the transference of the cases to the
dead docket.
Miller Was Visibly Affected.
For the first time since he was ar
rested Miller seemed to realize the
full gravity of his position. AS he
was taken into the court room hun
dred pair of curious eyes were turned
on him. and he quailed somewhat be-
meath the steady stare.
The complacent air that he was wont
to wear deserted him for the while, and
he shifted uneasily in his seat. Sec
rotary johnson OF the Young Mems
Christian Association has done all that
he could to assist the attorneys appoint
ed to defend Miller, in arranging Tor
his transference to reformatory. he
sat directly back of the boy while the
attorneys were pleading with the Judge
take the matter under advisement At
torney Abrams offered a letter from
the boys mother. and from Chief OF
Police w. r. Wier and Solicitor Hef-
fin.
The letter from the mother was most
pathetic, and was directed to Harry
indirectly through her other son here,
who is a half brother to the youthful
swindler. 1t reads: My dear son: l
nnr~
Harry in which he wants me to write
to him. l thought it would probably be
besl to send it through you. Son, am
almost distracted and am sick with 1t
all.
IF all efforts fail. before he goes to
the prison farm, kill him, for it would
be merciful to me as well as to him.
Get him some phosphate for his head.
He wrote me to send him some head
ache tablets, but 1 have no way to
send them to him. God surely has
damned my soul and 1 see nothing but
hell for me. Your crazy mother.
His Mother Was TeIegraphed.
The letters from the officers of the
law were to the effect that the mother
of the boy was in a hysterical state,
and as soon as Judge Seabrook an
nounced his decision in the matter d
telegram was sent notifying her what
had been done.
Miller will probably be taken away
to-day, as everything is in readiness
and he seems anxious to be off. In
speaking to a Morning News reporter
he said he thought all the while that
they would not punish him for what
some one else made him do.
Il have never denied what they
charged me with" he said, but l have
always said that another man put me
up to it, and l hope they will find him
and prosecute him. l know no one
believed what I told them about my
head hurting me, but if they had let
me have a doctor SO that he could ex-
anime me they would have found that
there was necessity for an operation.
1 hope to have it attended to when
l get to where L am going"
The George Junior Republic, where
Miller will make his home until he has
reached the age of discretion, is situ-
ated at Freeville, N. Y, near Ithaca.
The extensive farm and schools where
the boys are laugh is conducted after
the order of an independent govern
ment, and the boys themselves admin
lister to the affairs governing their linn
tied world. Here the boys are taught
to depend on themselves and to form
clearer ideas of right and wrong. A
number of boys have already been
sent to this home from Savannah.
Amin TEnATEn TIInnFMrIkIr