Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-05-27
STARTLING REVELATIONS MADE
At suRIEp TREASURE CASE
HEARING. =
TWO LADS COMMITTED TO
STATE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Stories Told by Lads Shock Court.
Spectators and Even Council for the
Dsfsnss-Boys Charged With Many
Misdsms anors and Even Grave
crims-PIatt to Continue Probe.

Waterloo. May 27.-According to re-
ports Of officers and others who have
probed into the situation. 1t was
brought out In juvenile court that re-
vealments Of an astonishing nature
have been made which involve a large
number Of boys from 13 to Is years Of
age. in Waterloo. who are believed to
have committed all sorts of minor Of
lenses and even crimes of a graver ma
! ture. It Ia said these boys attend the
public schools and some Of them hold
| membership in the Y. NJ. c. A. and at
tend Sunday school Many Of them. 1t
was asserted in open court Saturday.
are from the best homes.
These deplorable conditions. which
call for the best efforts of parents and
officers of the law for eradication, were
revealed in Investigations in connec-
ton with the stolen treasure Incl
dent, in which two boys stole watch
and buried 1t under crabapple tree
near Hudson. Joe Cotter,> Is, and
| Werner Welty. Is. were committed by
Judge Plat in connection with this
crime to the Boys Industrial School at
Eldora until they are 81, unless sooner
released.
Conditions Are DepIorabls.
| Even attorneys for the defense in
the cases brought before the attention
Of Judge Plat sounded a note of
warning against the deplorable condi-
tons which exist in West Waterloo.
Attorney Williams, who appeared as
ooas.so:: ssos tie Gotten 10y. said in open
court that he had little to add to what
he had told the judge privately. He
said Investigations had disclosed that
heroic actions would be necessary to
put an end to series of petty offenses,
and even more serious crimes, which
have been committed by some twenty
odd boys whose ages range from Is to
is years. He said the conditions were
such as to require the combined efforts
of the parents and the officers of the
law to cope with.
The situation demands radical ac-
ton Of some Sort" he declared, land 1
leave 1t to your Judgment as to what
that action shall be-"
Judge Plat In his comments upon
the situation prior to passing sentence
upon the two boys. said the seriousness
of offenses called for rigid action Most
Of the boys to whom his attention has
been called. he said, live in West Wa
terloo, but he had no doubt that other
boys in the city were guilty Of similar
offenses. Lax parental control, accord
Ing to the court, IL largely responsible
Tor this distressing state Of affairs.
Lons Cata!es Of Misdsn1sanors.
The, officers say their investigation
has disclosed that boys have been in
the habit of INDUCING in petty thiev-
cry, have been carousing and frequent
ing the Greek pool halls, and even
have been guilty of serious immoral
offenses. One man who has given con-
siderable attention to the investigation
says some Of the boys have even ven
tured close to the line OF the white
slave traffic. Nameless immoralities
were limited at as being INDUCED in by
some of the boys. The court referred
to this gang of boys as ''rowdies" and
"hoodlums''
It Is reported that subpoenaes for
eighteen boys have been authorized and
will be served for the purpose of bring
Ing the boys into court this week as
witnesses. In an endeavor to place the
blame for many petty offenses and to
clean up a gang which has been
carrying on its exploits with a high and
lawless hand.
Judge Platt, County Attorney Hoxie
and his assistant, E. H. Mccoy as well
as numerous citizens. will do every
thing in their power to put an end to
| this lawless crowd Of juveniles.
Destroy Property At charivari.
Attention has been called to these
specific offences. which have been
charged to the gang: Acts of malici-
GUS mischief last year at charivari at
the Henry Fry home, when property
worth more than 500 was destroyed;
travelling man; the petty thievery Of
cigars and tobacco from Greek pool
hall proprietors. assaults upon Greek
youths who have been hero only q
short time, thefts Of various articles
from garages. stores mad residences.
Judge Plat stated. in opening his
talk that the most serious responsible
ity felt by him in connection with the
work Of the Juvenile court is in regard
to the disposition of the incorrigible
and wayward children. Nothing so
greatly burdens ones mind and heart
as this. He said that Joe Cotter had
been before him some time ago in con-
neCIlOn WltN IHo CIldTlNdTi CdSe
regretted that at that time the parents
looked upon the matter with consider
able Indifference, and believed the
boys assertion Of innocence, tho
his guilt was clearly established by re-
liable evidence. He said that was the
very worst thing that could happen to
the boy. The father, he declared,
wanted to do right. but erred in judg-
ment.
Parents Too Ienient.
Parents nowadays are altogether too
lenient with their children" continued
the court. IF there were more severe
and strict discipline in the home and
parents would keep their children from
the streets. there would not be so
many boys and girls in juvenile court,
poRsET