The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-07
SPENDS "A OF z
YEARS IN PRISON
Two Great States On Trial in Re-
markable Case Of Young Man
Under Arrest For Larceny.

CLEVELAND. o.. April Tn the
coming trial for larceny OF Joseph
Slesinger. OF Chicago. the state Of iii
nois IL on trial, and the state OF Ohio
yes. and the whole penal system OF
the country.
Joe Is 22 years old. He has been
in prison IL years. Since he was
a boy of eight he has had but four
months OF liberty.
| Just four months to be a boy
that's all. Four mouths to learn self
reliance. and the use OF money. and
how to take care Of himself and fight
his own battles. And now boyhood
Is gone.
for Joe Slesinger, 30 manhood has nc
promise. It's prison for him-again
For they will send him ''over the
road" again. Never worry as To that
See what they've done already.
At something aud seven. Joe a
homeless, fatherless and shiyering
newsboy. committed the crime OF
sleeping in a sheltered doorway He
went to the state reform school, where
he spent IL years.
At 10 Joe broke away. Being hungry
and without money, he raised the win.
dow of a store and took one loaf Of
bread
For stealing one loaf OF bread, one
year in the penitentia-y.
After this he grew downright vi
cious and stole whole meal at a res
taurant-butter and slice OF meat.
and an apple, and some milk. as well
as bread. Another year In the pen.
They were waiting for him at the
door when he came Cut-these strange
men who had taken on themselves
the ordering OF this boys life. They
had new warrant. Joe had stolen
some money from his employer dur
ing the three months between his first
and his second year at the Columbus,
o., penitentiary.
Three thefts-a nights sleep in G
cold doorway. a loaf of bread, and a
full meal-these had been the crimes.
Fourteen years in prison had been
the punishment.
And now he's taken money, they
say
II the police and state officials, who
are wiser than little boys, have made
any mistake in dealing with Joe
Slesinger. II won't be on their heads
long. or course, his life is ruined
his boyhood wasted. his manhood
robbed of its opportunity~rbsv the
ruins won't be visible much longer.
For, luckily, Joe has contracted tuber-
culosis. Good place 70 Eet IT, Colum-
bus is-with its dark, cold. damp.
modify cells. Another term there
and he will surely get the term-then
the state will hear no more from this
young man.
Maybe he'd be better off that way.
But let us just suppose for minute
that In some strange court the great
and prosperous commemorative OF
Ohio and Ilinois-mothers of pres-
dents and of Americas greatest men
were on trial. And that Joe Sles-
niger was the prosecuting attorney
summing up the case against them.
You. Illinois," he could say you
sent your policemen after me and
drove me out OF your greatest city.
You said | should Tot work on the
street, and you wouldn't care for me
as a child.
1T wasn't my fault that | had no
mother II isn't my fault that she
died the morning | was born. Nor
is il strange that | shouldn't wish
to live with the cruel and unloving
old woman who sent me into the street
to work, and whipped me nightly to
make sure that | brought back every
penny I earned
And you, Ohio, you treated me
coldly from the night tumbled out
of a freight car in your chief city.
You sent your policemen after me,
too"