Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-04-05
BOYS MUST BEWARE.
Unruly Ones That Make Life Miser-
 able-Mayor Thoms' Orders.

Between the dogs and the antics of youngsters with air guns the po- lice department is having a lively time trying to maintain order in tho different sections of the city. The trouble with the dogs has abated somewhat, but the air gun business appears to be worse than ever be- fore and 1t behooyes parents to keep sharp lookout for the conduct of their children if they don't want to see them arraigned in the police court and given a start in live with criminal record. Complaints have become so numerous that Mayor Thoms has instructed Superintendent Beach of. the police department to arrest all boys found on the streets with air guns so that unless tha. sort of thing is dropped quickly many will soon find themselves in a peck of trouble.
 In addition to this the streets and private grounds are being converted into base ball fields and many prop erty owners want to know how long this is going to continue. Already >complaints have been registered by residents of Plaza avenue, Camp street and Cottage place, and the au- thorities have decided to move in the matter at once. Superintendent Beach told a Democrat reporter this morning to warn the public that the police department will arrest every boy found using air guns, and that If people who feel aggrieyed at the conduct of these trouble makers will get the names of the offenders and give them to him he will send an officer to their homes and bring them into court.
 The air gun practice is positively dangerous and it has always been a mystery to many citizens why a man who ought to know the danger or them will put such weapon in the hands of boy and let him out on the streets and in the lots to shoot at everything that he thinks makes a good target. It Is something that people have been complaining about for years, but for some reason or other no systematic effort ever was made to put a stop to 1t until the present time, and if 1t Is done now the public will appreciate it.
 The damage to private property IS also a matter of serious moment for people who own anything and are trying to make it pay. Gardens beautifed at considerable expense are trampled upon and crops that ili many instances represent the stock in trade of some citizens are wanton- ly destroyed, and If the owners enter a protest they are met with the re- mark from parents that they cannot control the movements of their chil- dren. If this be so then It is up to somebody else to step in and lend hand, and this Is most opportune time to make a commencement. NO matter how we'll youngsters are watched they will do some damage from time to-, time, sometimes thoughtlessly and quite frequently out of pure cussedness; but In any case the injury amounts to the same thing to the owner and as q conse- ouenee many honest members of the community suffer seriously because parents make little or no enort 10 keep track of their children. It IS but fair to assume that nobody wants his children to be nuisance Tn the neighborhood where he lives, but where there is so much fault finding on this score 1t is not unreasonabie to conclude that there is reason Tor it and in coming to the rescue Mayor Thoms has done something which all reputable citizens will appreciate. The trouble is not confined to any section of the city. although, to he sure, complaints appear to be more freauent from the north end, but this may be due to disinclination on the part of the people to put up with it rather than because the in- fury done there is greater than H. other districts. Like the dog null sance, a strange feature of the trou' ble with boys is that 1t appears the worst offenders are children of peo- ple in good circumstances, many or whom seem to think that their chil- dren cannot do wrong and that the law should be winked at when they err. But the powers that be don't look at things in that light and from now on, 1t makes no difference whether the boys father is worth s1OO,O00 or an ordinary toiler, who- ever is caught in the act or com plained of by somebody who knows him, will have te answer for his mis- --.s.,u. sr tho cftv eaurt