The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-02-07
Boys and Girls Under Age of
Is Must Be Home at
O'clock.
CHIEF TAKES STEP
ON BOARDS ORDER
Goodwin Blames Thought
less Parents For Existing
Conditions in City.

Acting under instructions issued by
the police commissioners, who met
last night, the police today resurrect-
ed the ancient curfew ordinance from
dusty pigeonhole, and Chief Good
win has announced it will be enforced
have tolled mournfully every winter
night at o'clock, and at o'clock on
summer evenings, but that has been the
extent of the observance of the ordi-
nance In fact it is doubtful if nine out
of ten urchins who frequent the
streets after nightfall are aware of
the fact that if they are under the age
of 16 years they have no right to ap-
pear in public places unless in COM
pany with their parents or other res
ponsible adults, or have the written
consent of their parents to be on the
streets or in public places.
Tonight, Police Chief Goodwin says
the existence of the curfew ordinance
will be forcibly impressed upon the
memories of all its juvenile offenders
and their parents and guardians.
Members of the police force will re-
ceive orders this afternoon to gather
in every boy and girl found lettering
after the curfew bells have sounded.
The parents of all children taken to
headquarters will be summoned be-
fore the chief and he will deliver to
then lecture on the evil results
which attend parental carelessness in
permitting youngsters to run at large
on the streets at night.
Parents Indifferent.
ANY parents who permit young
children to loiter on the streets or in
public places after nightfall, unattend-
ed, are guilty of wicked Indifference
to the welfare of their offspring" said
Chief Goodwin. This practice is going
to cease in Richmond and without fur
ther delay. don't blame the kids from
running at }arge;$but 1 do blame their
parents, and such" parents fIom now
on are going to be held strictly ac-
countable for violations Of the curfew
ordinance"
Chief Goodwin said there were a
large number of children who run at
large after nightfall. almost as many
girls as boys. Unchaperoned girls soon
become the victims of unscrupulous
men, and the police know of several
misses of the tender ages of eleven
twelve and thirteen years who have
been corrupted because their thought
less parents have permitted them to
remain away from their homes at all
hours Of the. night. Young boys who
run the streets at night for the most
part become morally corrupt because
of the lack of proper home influence
and contact with INSCRIPTIONS, care
1oSc admits fhoy in thoir 4.
ings. There have frequently been
gangs of boy thieves who have caus-
ed the police great annoyance, all the
members of such gangs being street
urchins.
Not long ago a girl about thirteen
years old, who had been a street
walker" for some time, was sent to
the Home for Friendless Women. One
night she escaped from the institution
and was found early the next morn-
ing in an abandoned shack with a
young colored boy, who sells papers
for living.
To Head OF Delinquency.
The number Of girl delinquents.
between the ages of twelve and six
teen, is a disgrace to Richmond and
the police are certainly to be COM
mended for their determination to
drive these youngsters off the streets
after the curfew BELLS" said promi-
nent social worker. Il was Mortified
the other evening when l walked by
two misses, the oldest probably four
teen, and heard them talking in most
disgustingly vulgar manner"
Every night the post office building
the library, the court house and other
public places are the rendezvous for
a large number of girls and boys and
until late at nights small army of
newsboys, some almost too small to
toddle, fit about the streets selling
newspapers. A sharp halt is to be
called on this practice.
When the police throw out their
dragnet tonight after o'clock a large
haul of juvenile night hawks is anti
cipated and there probably will be
many tears shed at police headquar-
ters. The object lesson is necessary
one, however, and it is expected to
make a forcible impression.