The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-11-25
She WORKED THE
SYMPATHY RACKET
Boys Welfare Demanded
That He Go To Reform
School, However

attempt to work the sympathy game
you ought to have been at the Ham
mond police station this morning at 9
o'clock. A serio-comic melodrama was
enacted which equals the best that Lin
coin j. Carter ever produced.
Scene-The Hammond police station.
villain-Louis KoschaIink, aged IL
years. An incorrigib1e.
Hero-Desk Sergeant Charles See
Tragedienne--Mrs. Andrew Koschal-
ink.
Object of Pity-A Polish baby.
Police officers, citizens (moved and
unmoved and newspaper reporters.
The whole melodrama was precipitat-
ed through the arrest of Louis Koschal-
ink, a 12-year- boy, who in his brief
period of activity has given the police
of Hammond more trouble than any
other half dozen boys.
She Nept Much.
Every time the boy was arrested the
mother would appear and do a little
scientific weeping. wailing and gnash-
ing of teeth. Until this morning the
performance produced the desired
result in the minds of the strong mus
cled hearted officers and the boy
was allowed to go home.
But the mother, who seemed so soli-
citous regarding her boys welfare ev-
cry time he was arrested. did not seem
to make any effort to keep the boy
straight. He stole everything he could
lay his hands on. He entered Klitzke's
milk depot and took $3.50 in change
out of the cash register to say moth
ing of the wagons. tricycles and cop
per wire that he stole every day.
The police decided that Louis Kos
chalink's only salvation lay in a term
in the reformatory at Plainfeld. The
preliminary hearing was held in City
Judge William W. McMahon's court and
it was there that the drama was en-
acted.
Story of the Weeps.
Mrs. Andrew Koschalink with a
small baby enters the court room. She
places the baby in the arms of Louis
the incorrigible youth. That was in
tended to soften the hearts of the
Judge and Truant officer Muzzall, but
they only smiled at the ruse.
Judge Mcmahon bound the boy over
TO the Juvenile court at Crown Point
and then the real action began. The
mother. filled with anguish, ran over
to Mr. Muzzall and patting his cheeks
with both of her hands pleaded for heI
chee-ild
The officer was unmoved by her i'm
ordinations. She then tried her tao
tics on Chief of Police Rimbach She
wrung her hands, tore her hair an6
shed tears, but it was to no avail.
Finally the Judge ordered the officers
to remove the baby from the court
room. officer Freddie Frenck started
to take the baby from the boy, who
was still hanging on to it for deal
life. Immediately he was bounced up
on by Mrs. Andrew Koschalink and hel
son, Joe, II years of age.
Other officers closed in on the strug.
Cling mass and finally Desk Sergeant
Charles See emerged from the melee
with Mrs. X in his arnss They danced
the Merry Widow waltz about the po
lice station for a while and finally tht
woman yielded and tainted in Charley:
arms
If His Wife Had Seen 1t.
[ vi COulS II was IdhC Du
| if Charley's wife could only have seer
| him then. Mrs. Koschalink finally
! struggled from the portly officer
| grasp and Topped down on the boo,
where she lay as fiat as pancake.
| In the meantime the smoke cleared
away and it was discovered that Of
fcer Frenck had the squalling baby il
his arms and was trying to quiet it il
fatherly way
| The boys, Louis and Joe. were crying
| at the tops of their voices. Charlie,
/ See and the other officers looked a
| though they had been through the mil
| and half a hundred people, who ha,
| been attracted to the station by tn
noise, were looking on in amazement
The police feel that they are justi1e'
in taking extreme measures in sucl
cases. The mothers of many of thos
West Hammond boys exercise no con
troll over them. they are allowed to be,
| and steal without reproof
| When the boys get into trouble TIL
| parents come around and go to grea
| extremes to save them from their mer
tied punishment. The police and tn
courts will make an example of Loui
Koschalink and hope to have less trou
| t,la IN bo f11t11ra