Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-24
boys and the convicts to have to be &C
companied by an ofiicer.


boys and the convicts to have to be se-
companied by an officer.
Police object at First.
The police objected seriously to my way
OF doing things, but now am getting great
assistance from them. We are trying to
teach the boy that we are his friends and
not his enemies. Under our Juvenile court
law we have been very successful. but Me-
braska, think, has the best juvenile court
law in the United States.
"The Nebraska law defines what is meant
by delinquent children and delinquent pa
rents. and e places the responsibility upon
the parent as well as upon the court II
a boy lie arrested for running around the
railroad yards, the parent is arrested and
asked why he doesn't keep the boy at home
He is fined for not looking after the little
fellow unless he can prove that he has done
the best he can and II that is the case and
the parent cannot look after the child, the
probation officer steps in.
II believe the law in Nebraska will result
In great good. have had a talk with Judge
Day Of Omaha and he mentioned about GO
ing to the homes OF some Of these children.
That Is the kind OF man wanted In this
work. A man who will go right into the
homes and investigate personally"
warden Beemer's Views.
Warden Beemer Of Nebraska, who is one
OF the busiest men in Lincoln and therefore
not given to making speeches before the
congress, but who is really one of the big
men In the association, and whose advice
! about prison affairs has much weight with
the members of the association, desires at
least two of the present customs changed.
II am in favor and have always been in
favor of a law which would not permit the
trial judge to sentence a person to prison.
The sentence should be passed by Judge
other than the trial Judge. While the
| judge may not admit IL and may not be-
lieve it himself, he can hardly help being
prejudiced against the prisoner who stands
trial and makes a fight for his liberty and
is then found guilty. He is favorable.
| though he may be unconsciously so, to the
prisoner who pleads guilty and causes the
court and officials no trouble. l have seen
| too many instances where a person who
pleaded guilty to an offense got two or
three years while the one charged with the
| same offense who stood trial and fought
every inch of the way received ten or If
teen years 1 want this association to
bring about a change in the present sys-
tenn.
Another thing hope the convention
! VIII take up Is change in the present
| system whereby all prisoners are huddled
| together in jail. There should be sepa-
rate cells fog every prisoner, and they
should not be permitted to communicate
with each other. A first offender who is
put in a cell with a confirmed criminal
will in twenty-four hours learn more about
corruption than he will ever get over
Many young man has been absolutely
ruined in twentyfour hours spent with ar
old criminal in a cell. These are two
things l would like to see changed
At the meeting tonight Secretary Mill
gan was presented with a diamond scar
pin by the association. F. G. Henderson
OF Chicago, who made the presentation
speech, spoke of the splendid work OF tn,
secretary and praised him for what he hat
done. Secretary Milligan responded Will
much feeling.