The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-16
YOungster Returned TO Uintah
Training School After Series
of Adventures.
CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER
PROVES HIS LOYAL FRIEND
GuardeII0 Brown Believes There
Is Good in Boy That Can
Be Developed.


Tie * home in two senses, for he IS
both back in Salt Lake and back IN
Inc Uintah Training school
The case Of Little Johnny Decker pre-
scnts some phases that are tllcd with
human iniercs, of the genuine type
The case of little Johnny Decker is an
evidence OF the fact that they do things
differently now with regard to luvcnrlc
dcHnqucnis from what they used 10 do
a dozen wears ago.
Little Johnny Decker can scarcely, bc
held accountable for the things he has
done. for his environments have pccn
surh rs arc calculated TO render hlm
anything but i model boy.
When He Ran Away.
Little Johnny Decker IS II wears odd.
Last summer he came under tho notice
Of tho Juvenile court aud. IN due course
Of time he was sent 10 the Iintah IRAN.
ing school GuardclIo Brown, the chlei
probation officer, SAYS Johnny Decker
WIS a good boy while nc Was IN Inc
school He complied with all ihc rules
and was a great help 10 the officers,
Along about the Time the pubic
schools opened Johnny Decker was re.
leased from the training school IN order
that be might become pupil IN the
city : institutions OF learning. Pres
emily something happened 10 johnny
Decker He didp { know precisely what
that something was, but tho upshot oil
the whole business was that Johnny
Decker failed 80 show up at the school
house. aud for Two weeks Johnny Deck
cr's whereabouts w8s a deep mystery
The chief probation officer dug mp!
Johnny one day. hui he WAS IN Il sorry
plight. lie was ragged and dirty aud
uDkcmpi.
Mr.. Brown. said little Johnny
Decker, :" We got a home all right
shat is. We got place 20 sleep and
eat, hu; il isu tho kind of 4 home
read in books about
With the Police.
Then ono night. the police found
little johnny Decker roaming. They
took him in. bui johnny Dcckcr's father
pleaded with the officers earnestly and
well, and the police permltted the boy
10 90.
Johnny that he would 80 strai cht away
home, but Johnny didn't. Instead of
aoiua home he went 10 the railroad
wards and boarded an outgoing train. |
For i long time nobody knew what had
become Of little johnny Decker. About
len days ago Johnny was found In Poca
tcIlo. -Four davS ago his father went TO
Lake.
On the way hitherward from Poca-
tcllo. little Johnny Decker cluded the
vigilance of his father ri Ogden and
went M town. The Ogden police were
enlisted in tho search for the boy and
hc WIS found i'm the back ward of res
taurant. where ne was manfuly break !
ing up coal with big hammer. He was
restored 10 his father, and tho two came
TO Salt Lake Monday.
What the Mother Said.
When little Johnny Decker and his |
father reached Salt Lake little Johnny
Decker was put in the city jail and |
little Johnny Decker 5 father went !
home ia spread he clad iidinGs of the |
return Of tho prodigal. The father bulls
= hrc aud had The tea kettle singing
me[ri!y It When his wife came home.
- Well. he sajd 10 his wife. ''wc |
nave found Johnny lie 5 in Jail now.
What shall We do with him p;
Knock his head or, replied the
mother. according 10 the repetition OF
the words made BY Mr.. Brown by lit.
tie Johnny Decker : father.
lhcn Johnny Decker WAS brought TO
fbc Juvenile court room Both the
parcuis. Mr. Brown saws, seemed anX-
ious chat he boy be sent 10 the re.
form school at Ogden. but Mr. Brown
had known little johnny Decker before
ana ne sun ll1d talih IN HIM.
"Jolnnv.' - said MIR Brown. when the
two were having heart 10 heart talk.
- have not lost confidence in YOU.
lou and | used 10 be pretty good
chu'ns ont at thc school. ] never threw
YOU down and ro,i never threw me
down. and ! don I believe you will
throw nc down now.
Back TO the Training School,
49," give YOU my word that l won L.
Nj. Brown, pleaded the boy. ''Just
trN mc and see
So it was arranged that little John.
ny Decker should 60 back Ia the
UiEtsh training school and he went.
- Mr.. Palmer. said LITTLE JOHNNY
Decker. 10 the man n charge of the
old school. may L have my old job
"'And what was your old iob?,'
asked Mr.. Palmer.
.'In the kitehen-cook. said little
Johnny Decker
Sure said Palmer. and little
Johnny Decker was duly Installed
When J was out there last night, -
IN The midst Of il. and | believe he II
stick. ] believe tho lad viii do the
square. thing. Anyway, m willing 10
give him chance. -
Little Johnny Decker s father is f. NJ
Decker Of l0eS Second avenue. The
ruN'ulie FoHli dUInOIlJo5 say tho man
Il addicted to the drink habit and
that tho mother is i'll: that she has I'm.
dcrgonc several operations for cancer
aud that her physical condition appears
Ia he largely responsible for her atti.
tpde toward the hoy.
Nj any rate. little johnny Decker has
a good friend IN Guardello Brown, and
that officer has the lirm conviction that
thC boy viii not throw him down