The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-03-24
LAMBS ARE SHORN
IN 4 JUSTICE COURT
Are Advised by Counsel to
Plead Guilty to Malicious
Mischief Charge.
WAS THEIR CRIME HEINOUS?
Yes They Cut Initials Into Walls of
Shack, Known as Burlington
(Pa.) Railway Depot.

Indiana Harbor, Ind, March 24-The
alleged mulcting of two young work.
men from South Chicago by an Indiana
Harbor justice shop legal practitioner,
aroused the sympathy of a number Of
Harborites. to whom they told their
experience
The young men are George Berg,
95S7 Ewing avenue. South Chicago. who
until Monday had been employed as a
pipe filters helper at the cement works
at Burlington, and Fred Newman, also
OF South Chicago. Neither of the
young men appeared over 19 or 20 years
of age, and both had been laid off Mon
day at the cement works, and visited
Burlington yesterday to draw the money
that was due them since the last pay
day After receiving their checks the
young men repaired to the Pennsyl-
vania depot, a drygoods box like howell
used as an excuse for a station, at the
cement town While waiting for the
train that was to take them back to
South Chicago, Newman cut his init
ials in the woodwork at the depot, and
Berg. to kill time. followed suit While
Berg was still thus engaged. two men
who claimed to be Pennsylvania rail-
way detectives came along, and MOTTO
ing the occupation of young Berg.
promptly took him and his friend into
custody. Berg was booked for maIic-
ious mischief and Newman went along
to act as witness to the crime"
AccOsted by Lawyer.
The pair was hailed into court, where
according to their story, they fell into
the clutches of the justice shop legal
practitioner. He. 1t is claimed, accosted
them and asked them the nature of the
trouble they were in. The circum-
stance was explained, whereupon the
lawyer, according to the same author
ity, advised them to plead guilty and
assured them that he would see that
the AFFAIR did not cost them anything,
offering to serve as their attorney.
Berg. who is the sole support of a
mother and two younger brothers. and
feeling that he could i'll afford to lose
his hard-earned money, gladly assented
TO the generous proposition of the law
yer, who took both the young men over
to the nearest saloon. according to their
story. and bought them a drink lie
also called up South Chicago notifying
Berg's mother that her son had gotten
tcto a little trouble and could not be
home at once. but that II was nothing
9OAlOuo anu lndl he would return in
due time
Boys Plead Guilty.
When their case was called in court.
Berg, acting on the advice of his coun-
sci. pleaded guilty. A fine, including
costs of S15.75 was assessed. The COM
bined checks Of the two young men
amounted to something over SAG and
these were handed to the lawyer with
the understanding that he go out and
cash them. This the lawyer did. and
returning handed the young men the
change after retaining $40 as lawyers
fees. The boys were then forced of
course to pay their fine, and when they
were ready to depart they found they
had just SIC and some odd cents be-
tween them.
Berg was in tears when he related
the story to TIMES reporter Il work |
hard for my money" said he, and / |
need every dollar that I earn I sup
pose we had no business cutting the
woodwork Of the Pennsylvania depot. |
but If the building was destroyed com
pletely, it wouldn't be much of a loss |
to the company, and I had no idea / |
was Decorating anything so sacred |
when l committed what appears to |
have been such heinous crime"
The alleged detectives gave the |
names Of Charles Jackson and Brennan |