Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-03
LETTER TO MERCHANTS.
Judge of Juvenile Court Warns Them
And Messenger Offices.

In order to put a stop to the prac-
tise OF merchants and messenger Of
fees sending boys to houses OF Ill
fame with parcels or on other busi-
ness, the juvenile court has issued a
circular letter calling attention to the
juvenile court Jaw on that matter and
warning the merchants against the
practise, A total of / 90 copies Of the
letter have been mailed to the mer-
chants Of the city. The text OF the
letter follows IN full;
Gentlemen; Our attention has been
called to a case of two boys who were
sent by one Of the prominent dry
goods firms OF the city to deliver some
parcels TO a notorious house Of IN
repute on Commercial street. The
boys were detained some two hours
awaiting payment Of the c. O. D. bill,
upon which they We're expected To
make return.
We have mailed the employers OF
these two boys letter of the same
import as the one we are now address,
ing to you and other firms who are
known to us to employ delivery boys.
advising them as we now advise you
that while the law governing In cases
like this has not been enforced here
tofore and may, with some reason. he
practically dead letter, that we are
determined that this no longer may
be truthfully said. The law governing
IN such cases Will hereafter be rigidly
enforced. In case you are not ia
miliar with the law on the subject we
quote below that portion of the statute
under which we propose to act
Section s, chapter II, Session Laws,
1905, says: ~ delinquent child shall
include any child IS years Of age or
under who knowingly visits
on enters a house of III repute
shall be deemed . Juvenile delinquent
and shall be proceeded against as such
in the manner provided In this act"
Section Of the same act says. an
all cases where any child shall be a
delinquent. child or juvenile delinquent
person as defined by section of this
act, the parent or parents, legal guard
ian or any other person responsible
for or by any act encouraging, caus-
ing or contributing to the delinquency
OF such child shall be guilty Of a mis-
demeanor" (Which means shall be sub
Ject 10 fine not to exceed $500 or to
Imprisonment not to exceed six months
or To both such fine and imprison-
menD.
The language of the statute Is very
give warning this one time From now
on IL we find the boys under rs years
OF age delivering parcels In disreput-
able places on Commercial street we
VIII be compelled to bring the boys
into court under charge Of lelin-
quency; and II II develops that they
are sent there by their employers.
there Is but one course open TO us to
pursue in the discharge Of our official
duty, and that will be TO proceed
against such employer for contributing
to the delinquency Of a child, and, II
proven, the law as cited above will be
rigidly enforced
IL In the regular course Of business
an employer must send parcels to
houses of III repute, tu avoid this law
being enforced against them. II will be
ne cessary that such parcels be sent by
an adult messenger. As much as we
should regret 20 have TO take such
measures 10 enforce this law, we in
tend to do so where information reach
es US that tho law Is being violated,
without henltancy or favor to any
one We believe, however, that when
the reputable merchants understand
that the purpose OF this court Is To
enforce these laws, they will gladly
so arrange their delivery system as to
make II unnecessary for any boy 10
frequent any one of these disreputable
places; but they VIII rather employ
some adult person as delivery man to
attend to all this part OF their BUSH
ness Hoping and believing that we
VIII have hearty cooperation at your
hands IN all our efforts To protect tho
children OF this city against all un-
necessary temptations that can be
avoided, We are, very respectfully.
SALT LAKE JUVENILE COURT.