The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-12-01
OBJECT LESSON FOR OUR BOYS
GOOD WORDS TO YOUNG A8IERI-
Ca By JUDGE WOFFORD.
Boys Who Have Been DufifuI Towards
Sunday school Never in His
Court.

Never have known a boy to be
charged with crime in this court who
attended Sunday school with his par
ents, and have been Judge OF this
court a good many years" said Judge
WOhOrd in the criminal court in Kan
sas City, Monday. Sunday school
boys don't come here have never
had one before me And never viii
have one
Two brothers had been brought be-
fore the judge charged with stealing
$3.50 in money. One was sixteen
years old, the other %. The older
brother pleaded guilty and was sen
fenced to one year in Jail The young
er one pleaded not guilty, and though
criminally responsible in the case, was
let or
You get drunk sometimes, I am
told" said the judge to the older
brother.
Yes, sir, do
Travelling the drunkard's road to
the penitentiary. Your mother is a
good Christian woman, but you have
gone wrong. You're one Of those fell
lows who think it's smart to put your
stomach up TO the bar and drink the
devils poison. Some other fellow now
is handing his last cent over the bar
for whisky and then ne viii go out
=a- e Zen he comes here
,efo-- me therein be a whole gang OF
respectable people to whine for mer-
81 for him On account Of your moth
er III not send you to the peniten-
tiary. III save her that disgrace be-
cause she's q Christian woman, not
because OF any good I see in you
Rev. ClaUd Kelly was there to plead
for the boys; one Of whom joined his
church four years ago. but was from
religious standpoint a sfckIy mem
Der and didn't attend Sunday school.
Why" said the judge, ''one hun
dred years ago men were hanged for
doing what he has done"
Il think the older brother was
more culpable,'' said the minister
"Of course he was Why, Napoleon
was only three years cider than he
when he conquered Italy. I'll tell you
these boys must be taught that there's
a God in Israel This boy has loose
ideas You are doing him a great
wrong now TO come in and ask me to
turn him loose. These people must
be taught that these is a law and that
they must respect it The newspapers
are full Of accounts Of crime"
1T is an humble family urged the
minister The father works steadily;
the mother has to work, too, and that
brought a lOOseness Of discipline"
Yes, and that's why these boys are
before me Nine times in ten when a
boy goes wrong it's the fault Of the
parents and Of the preachers, and
Sunday school teachers, who don't
look after them Children have to be
watched. Any mans child will go
wrong unless he Is watched. The
fathers and mothers get them and
then turn them loose in the alleys like
pigs The father says: oh, 1 have
to work to get their bread. I have no
time to IOk after them Every boy
brought to this court came here be
cause he was neglected, every one"
At this point the boys mother
walked up to intercede for him She
was weeping. The judge waved her
away.
If you'd given this boy proper at
tentiOn before you would not be here
crying in court The zine you ought
to have cried was when you saw him
going wrong"
The judge let the case rest for
awhile until he had called a jury to
try another case and then, his heart
having sOftened, he called up the boy
and his mother and released him on
bond, with her as his surety