Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-22
A LESSON FOR MOTHERS.
Goes Moines Tribune)

The tragedy which occurred at Fort
Des Moines Saturday night. in which
one young soldier stabbed comrade
to death, was the result of jealousy
aroused over a young girl who should
have been at home under the care and
control of her parents. This slip of
child. imagining she had outgrown
parental supervision, belongs to one
of the best families in Carlisle. a
small town in Warren county. She
had been allowed to visit relatives in
this city, by whom she was given I'M
restrained freedom. and naturally
drifted out among the blue coats and
brass buttons so fascinating and thrill
ing to girls of susceptible years. While
claiming to be the steady company
of one soldier boy, she had evidently
been too familiar with his comrades,
who believed they had the privilege OF
treating her disrespectfully In public
places for when her dead lover ar
rived at the waiting room to meet her,
he found one of his comrades holding
her hat and another sitting on her
jacket They had evidently been
haunting and tormenting her, and
when her lover appeared he was nat
urally angered and row followed
which cost him his life, The sudden
disappearance of the girl after her lov-
err had received his death wounds does
not speak we'll for her womanly cour-
age or devotion.
This is simply the the natural result
of parental indifference or neglect,
which cause the ruin OF hundreds or
Young girls in Des Moines each year.
Day after day, the young girl who fig
ured in this latest tragedy was per-
mitted to associate with young men
who had no use for her other than as
a mere plaything. Whatever may
have been her emotions, her Ideals OF
her affection, it is safe to say they
were not fully appreciated or recipro-
Gated by her soldier companions, be-
cause young men usually fail to enter
tain a high regard for girls who mani
fest too strong desire for their COM
pany, and who break the conventional
rules of society regarding the relations
of the sexes. Like hundreds of other
girls she was simply inviting criticism
from the public and disrespect ancl
even disgust from those whose affec..
ton and faithfulness she desired to
win.
This young girl will forever bear the
stain which Saturday nights tragedy
has placed on her name, and the ones
largely responsible for this terrible
blot upon her life are her parents.
This is not written so much in criti-
cism as in pity, with a hope that it
may be a warning to other parents OF
girls of tender years. The mother of
this young girl will regret to her dy-
ing day her neglect Of this child she
loved. and we would not brutally ada
to her grief by harsh censure. But
The Tribune is anxious to impress on
the minds of parents the importance
of sterner control over their children
in these days when temptations are
SO many and opportunities for youth
full destruction so plentiful. A mother
who cannot control the actions Of her
daughter, and compel her to properly
conduct herself. should at once appeal
to the state for assistance There are
public institutions for incorrigibles,
and they should be utilized when the
power of home government is broken
If this were done, many harvests of
tears would be avoided