Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-19
LIFE BLOOD
is SIGNED TO
WIERDOA7HS
Young RAscALs CAUSE POLICE
MUCH WORRY
BEAT CHINESE AND TWO TAKE
TO WOODS
Raids on Vegetable Wagons Form
Their Chief sustenance--Flnd
D.IIght in Disturbing
Religious Services

with oaths in the blackest ink and
signed with human blood, number OF
youths, whose ages range from 10 10 ~
years have banded themselves togetner
and in the semi-wildness OF section
of the citys outskirts, beyond the end
of the Boyle Heights car line, nave
erected shacklike structure
Here they hold forth during the day
and until an early hour in the morning,
making night hideous with discordant
sounds and more or less melodious sing
ing. while a great part of the day Is
spent in lolling around the den and cook
ing and eating certain savory viands, the
proceeds of numerous raids on passing
vegetable wagons or the home larder.
The young fellows who make this
shack their headquarters have adopted
the name of the Belvidere Owls, the last
name being used to denote the fact that
they are awake nights, for one OF the
most strictly observed of their blood
signed oaths is that no member shall
leave the rendezvous before o'clock in
the morning.
Eiude Police
These owls terrorize the neighbor-
hood and watch for every opportunity to
make their presence felt, and in such
manner that their movements are uncer-
tain and dreaded The police know them
and two men in plain clothes have
watched them at different times, but
such Is the system under which the young
men work that it has been so far I'M
possible to gain evidence of crime against
any one Of them.
They also have a good friend In a
young freshman of Occidental college
who has taken up the work Of mis-
sionary and who each Sunday stands In
the pulpit of the little mission church.
where he expounds the teachings OF the
gospel and endeavors by precept and ex-
ample to lead the small congregation into
the right way of living. This man is
Ray Petty, 20 years old. who has al
ready seen much of the good and bad In
life and whose intercesson in behalf of
many of the members of the owls has
kept them out of the police courts.
The "owls invade the little edifice
each Sunday night, disturbing the serv-
ices and doing what they can, notwith-
standing the pleas of the young preacher,
to make a farce of the religious exer-
cises.
Sleep in Church
Sitting well up in front these young
men loll about in their seats, snoring
loudly, winking at the young man in the
pulpit or wiggling their fingers in de-
rision. One of them, whose index finger
was gone, sat with the deformed hand
to his cheek, while the others passed
the word that he was the person who
recently stirred the whole city to anger
by killing an officer of the law.
But, as constant dripping may wear
away a stone, the young preacher each
Sabbath enters the little church hopeful
that some of the seeds he has sown will
have found a responsive SOIL And each
Sabbath he has departed. disappointed
and hear. sore. but always hopeful.
Two members of the ''Belvidere Owls
have already left town or placed them
selves beyond the reach of the police.
This enforced hiding was caused by the
holding up and robbing of Chinese
vegetable wagon. Naturally the Celes-
tia1 objected to the conffscation of his
goods and as a result received a pum-
melting which laid him up for weeks.
An investigation followed and the young
men decided that two of their number
should disappear for the time being The
attack on the Chinese was then laid at
their door by their companions and moth
ing further was DONE
SteaIa de Banan
A few days later the band stole a
bunch of bananas from an Italian fruit
dealer and the peddler was given a ter
rible beating when he tried to protect
his wares.
With iron-bound oaths to protect each
other at all hazards. signed with blood
induced by the prick of a pin, these
young men have been able to foil inves-
tigation and their voices can be heard
breaking the stiffness of the night with
the strains Of
I'VE won't go home till morning,
Till daylight doth appear"
-&<S
crurnrI " IAIIIlnrn ~