Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-03
NEW RULE IN FORCE I
IN JUVENILE COURT
Judge Latimer Saves Children
From Ordeal Required of
Adult Defendants. "A
ARE QUICKLY EXAMINED
ON CHARGES PREFERRED
Police Admonished Not to Lock Up
Boys and Girls for
Trivial 0ffenses.

children are no longer compelled
stand up before the clerk of the juvenile
Court under the eyes Of the curious and
morbid. for arrangement on various
charges exactly as I'm a police court or
criminal court Judge Latimer has in
augurated system whereby the boy or
girl is saved this humiliation.
heretofore il has been the custom
TO have the charge read aloud as in
ordinary criminal procedure. but now
the children on trial are merely
brought up before the judges table
and asked ii they know what the
charge Is and whether or not they did
II or not In this way the Judge hopes
to do away with the stage fright
which affects so many Juvenile Of
tenders when they are brought into
court. He also has the hearing as lit
tie like the trial OF "A criminal as pos
sible.
Judge Latimer has been averse to hav-
ing the children arraigned I'm his court
ever since he was appointed. and has
given the matter great deal of careful
thought. with the result that he decided
a few days ago to do away with the old
system, and all of the children brought
into court today We're spared the ordeal
OF being formally charged with an offense
New Police Plan.
The Judge is continuing his campaign
to educate the police to the extent where
they won't lock up little boys and girls for
the night or send theM to station houses
in patrol wagons when they are charged
with only trivial offenses. Policeman
Nealon had arrested little colored boy
a few nights ago for not having "A bell
on his bicycle, and the boy was kept in
the station house all Of that night.
Judge Latimer told the boy that he, had
been more than amply punished for his
minor Qffense. and suspended any further
proceedings against him. He detained
the officer for n few minutes after the
hearing was over and explained TO him
that it was better not to have the boy
appear in court at all than harden him
by locking him up in a cell like crimi-
nal Nealon. at the iudge'S request prom
Used to talk tn. question over with his
captain. with a view of preventing a re-
currence. Judge Latinler told the othcer
| in no uncertain way that IL was better To
let the boy do almost any thing than keep
him confined in a station house all night.
| or even for few hours.
In the next case considered the Judge
| convinced himself in a novel way that a
| colored boy had stolen n bicycle from a
little white boy. In spite of the plead
| ings of the judge, the boys father. and
| Attorney Edward Carrigan u tell th@
| truth the boy stuck 70 wild tale OF
1 IL
ing it to the boy from whom IL was pur
| chased.
| Policeman NcDermott Of the seventh
precinct told the judge that the boy had
admitted stealing II, and Detective Guy
| Walsh who made the arrest, informed
the court that the boy from whom the
| bicycle is said to have been purchased a
/ few days ago has been dead for -four
months.
Court Applies Test.
The juvenile offender then produced a
piece of paper which he said was a re-
| ceipt for the money he had paid for the
bicycle The Judge took the paper and
then asked him to write on another piece
fof paper the words IT bought the BIZ
! cycle. l paid 81 for it and owe 81
! When Judge Latimer compared the
| two notes. the writing was identical. H
then gave the boy lecture he won
| forget for many day. and told him he
was guilty of not only stealing. but for
gerry and perjury. The boys record had
been so good until this time that the
judge took the fact into consideration In
sentencing him, ordering only mat ne
pay So to the owner of the wheel Ine
| bows father will not he permitted to as
sist him in making these payments, the
| Judge ordered. Further sentence in the
case was suspended.
| William Bready and John Kendrick. two
| boys VINO are alIeSeu 10 nav stolcI d
horse and buggy In the middle of the
night early in the week, were both placed
| in the care of the board of children
guardians. They could give no reason for
staying out all night, and the judge was
inclined to believe that the proper re-
straint was lacking in their homes.
These boys and a companion also are
alleged to have stolen five gallons OF milk
a few mornings previous tn the escapads
with the horse and buggy, and they could
give no reason for doing this. either
The other boy has never been In cours
before and the final disposition of the
charge against him was postponed unti
Tuesday in order to investigate the case
further. Several loaves OF bread were
taken by the boys. il is said, at the
time they took the milk, and they made
no attempt to deny any OF the thefts.