The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-02-02
Leading Chicago Jurist Addresses
Mems Club Of Congregations
al Church Tuesday.
REF0R THE CHILD CRIMINAL
Judge Mack Tells of the Work of the
Juvenile Court and Gives Sug-
gestions for New Laws
for Child Offenders.

who presides over the juveni1e;.court
of Cook county, was the guest of
honor at the meeting of the Mems
club of the Congregational church on
Tuesday evening, and his address on
Child Criminals and Their"Treat-
ment," was one of the most notewor-
thy addresses ever delivered before
the members of the'c1ub. In'an ad-
dress bristling with bright sugges-
tons the Chicago judge he1dsthe I'M
divided attention of a company of
more than two hundred people for
more than an hour and a half, and
during this time he threw out many
suggestions which may be helpful in
dealing with the child criminals of
Kenosha.
The dinner was one of the most in
teresting ever given by the club, and
covers were laid for a hundred and
seventy-five guests. Judge R. H.
S1osson, president of the club, acted
as POSTMASTER and introduced the
speaker of the evening.
Judge Mack prefaced his address by
giving little history of the juvenile
court in Chicago. He told of the
causes thai had led up to the estab-
1ishment of this special court for the
handling of child criminals and of the
ideas that had been advanced in be-
half of the court. He told of the
great work of reform among the chill
dren that had been brought about by
the court during the few years that it
had been in existence and paid fit
ting tribute to the men who had
started the movement for thesopening
of this court. The idea brought out
in the lecture was the fact that it was
always the plan of the court to leave
the child in the keeping of it's par
ents, if possible, and if sthes'parents
were not suitable people to take the
care of the child, the duty of the
court was to place the child in some
other home where it would receive the
love and care of a mother and father.
The court holds that the father and
mother have the right to the custody
Of the child just so long as they are
able to rear it to be law abiding
child, but when they fail in this re-
gard the court has right to take the
child and give it to other parents,
where it can receive the love and
care that is it's due.
Judge Mack held that these plans
were carried out by the aid of seven
teen probation officers. The thought
of crime and criminals is far removed
from the Juvenile court, and the in
stitution of reform is the last resort
for the child criminal in Chicago.
Judge Mack spoke of the work that
could be done in Wisconsin to root out
the child criminals, and recommended
that the state Legislature be asked to
pass laws which would allow the es-
tab1ishment of Juvenile courts in the
different counties of the state. He
held that this would offer the best and
easiest solution of the problem of the
child criminal.
Following the lecture a short bust
ness meeting of the club was held, at
which the following resolutions were
passed by a unanimous vote:
Whereas, it has pleased the AL
mighty God to call our esteemed and
beloved member, Frederick Lewis
Ellsworth, from this earth to his home
above, and
Whereas, his family has lost there
by good, noble, and loved husband
and father, and our League faithful
and esteemed member, be it therefore
Resolved, That we, members of the
Congregational Mems League, do
hereby express to his family, our sim
cere and deep sorrow, and sympathy
in this their hour of affection, and be
it further,
Resolved, That copy of these
resolutions be sent to the family of
our brother, and spread upon the rec
ords of the league. Signed,
The CONGREGATIONAL MEMS LEAGUE.