The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-20
HAPPY RESULT OF WORK
OF JUJNENH e COURT
Effected Salvation of the Young, Taking Them From Evil
Surroundings Interesting Story of the Recreation of
s Ruined ,Home Happiness Following Misery.

Richmond cases have come to light
that, If known. would have aroused
the interest OF every Richmond cit
iaen and would have stirred the hearts
Of mothers throughout Virginia
! Although only one among hundred
cases of this character which have
come up In the Juvenile Court. a. very
interesting one was told the other day
by an official connS cted with our
Juvenile Court here in Richmond. |
This came Up about two years ago, and
the reason for his bringing up q case
which was heard go long time ago
was that he had, that day received a
letter from little girl who was one
of family which was brought into
court. This recalled the circumstances
and he related them as follows:
| A Main Desperation.
! Two years ago about five o'clock
in the afternoon, u man, dressed in
working clothes, with a rough but
honest-iookinG face. pushed his way
through the door, and walked Into my
office There was a sad expression
upon his face. and knew before he
spoke something Of what was coming.
He said MIR. -....... l am nearly
crazy. and Won may not understand
me, because l am hardly able to speak
inteliigently since I fouHa = out, but. |
] think now that i am about ready
to commit suicide and end it all
Not knowing why he wanted to
commit suicide or what IL was he had
found out | asked him to explain
, himself.
I'm broken sentences he then be-
gan
1T started several months ago i
was working. held a good position.
paid my debts. and carried my money
T home regularly Saturday night, My
three children were happy and go was
my wife. apparently; and everything
was running smoothly. Then one day
she complained Of feeling little
badly. and asked me to prepare
toddy for her. ] did SO, and IL re-
heved her. Heard nothing furthsr !
for a few days. Then again the same :
thing occurred / prepared her an |
other glass of whiskey as j had done /
IN the first place. My wife's sick |
spells increased In number until fin
ally she vas taking one or two drinks
Of whiskey nearly every day. This
even grew worse. and she wac now /
asking me 10 bring her a bottle home :
nearly every night.
Seeing that she was drinking TOO |
much for her own good. / suggested (
at this time that she take q little |
less She was angered at this suG
gestion and for the first time since .
We were married SDe SPOKE t1 me III
very harsh tones This surprised
and shocked me, and frightened at t
what seemed to be the consequence
of her past steady drinking. which I I
now thought Of In It's true light FOR &
the first time, / determined not to
bring a bottle OF whiskey home.
This went on for few days.
One day I came home. and my wife
was intoxicated. ] asked her where
~ NJ - u
again she used harsh words. This
went on for some time Finally not
satisfied at getting whiskey from
ether men. (which | found happened
~ he the case iatert che began sell /
sng little Inexpensive jcweiry ] had
given her at different times. My three 4
children began to so around the house /
not neatly artfred. as they had been
In the past, but dirty and ragged. 1
This has gone on for some time Until (
yesterday and here he broke down I
completely, AS be said i learned yes
terday that my wife. at har ropes
end hec.rrse she could secure whiskey
from other men, and desperate NOW I
for ii,e liquor which she crayed, had
on the previous afternoon taken my
eldest daughter out with her. She was
made 10 beg or the street, unknown +
TO myself 4 friend happened 10 see 1
truth. ] at ence determined TO come
here today and consult you as TO the I
best place where my children will be
taken away from the influences of IA /
home that Will lead to their destruc-
tion, and | am probably now too late !
to save one Of them.
Here his dig frame shook. and y 4
lone tear ran down his cheeks. / I'M
derstood him, and encouraged him TO
proceed, for il was only through him
that I could learn the exact truth.
and thus arrive at some conclusion 4
as IL the best thing to be done
After a while he continued: 4f II
late | have watched my wife very I
closely. ana / fear that my eldest /
daughter has gone far towards fol- Il
lowing in the footsteps of her mother, Il
The thing that has nearly driven me
mad J don't know what to do. and / Il
thought today that / would end all
the trouble
sad Story Reaches Climax.
u insisted this would be a very
weak thing to do" said the officer.
and that it would be cowardly.
told him that ! would have the whole
family summoned to the Juvenile
Court, and there would be some ar
ranEement made to take care of the
AhiNF NtthdENsl- IlS0 lQiu MIN tnat
he still had something to live for. i
that he owed it to his children to
live, that he might provide for them,
and assist me In placing them where
they would have the best advantages
under good, Christian influence. NV
advice seemed to encourage him some
what. and he promised to appear in
court the next morning. That. after
noon / sent enc of our officers to the
home. and had the three children re-
moved to The Juvenile Detention
Home for the night. meanwhile iss1i.
ing a summons for his wife to appear
In court the next morning.
- .Iefag- before court opened the nexti 81
morning the man was waiting at the
door A few minutes later his wife,
dissa pated IN appearance, with a hard
unfeeling expression. made her way
through the door. I sent over for
the children. and in few minutes the
whole family was before Justice
Crutehfield in the Juvenile Court
The case was the first on the
docket and was taken up at once. The
man told Justice CrutchfieId the stoSy