Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1918-05-17

in their teens which have been told
exclusively in The Patriot during the
recent vice crusade, bears out the
statement of Mrs W j. Bartlett. who
has been active in cleaning up the inn
moral spots of the city and reseuing
young girls from lives of shame and
immortality, that Putnam is sorely in
need of either a woman probation of
fieer, children's welfare league, or a
local board of charities. and also a
house of detention. Whatever such
an official might be called or whatever
the name of an organization she
might represent, makes little differ
enee as long as the purpose and aims
of the organization and the official
representing it is to engage in the
work that apparently needs attention
in this city-the prevention of chill
dren going wrong and the rescuing of
those that have already started along
the path that leads to disgrace and
despair
The Patriot has been mildly eriti-
elsed in some quarters for giving such
publicity to these unwholesome stor-
les. There are too many people who
believe in taking the easiest way
shutting their eyes to the alarming
conditions and looking out only for
themselves and their children. But IL
the eyes are closed some day they
may be opened when too late to find
ones own boy or girl has been led IN
to erroneous ways of thinking and he
come infatuated with the life. exeit-
ing perhaps at first, thought smart
and something to take pride in by the
young boys and girls whose minds
have become perverted, but which, as
sure as the sun shines, leads to de-
struction
1t is not pleasant to chronicle such
sordid facts as have been brought to
light in Putnam the past several
months. 1t would be easier to say
nothing and to do nothing. If this
course is pursued and no one makes
it his or her business to properly pro-
teet the youth of Putnam, the respon-
sibility of shattered lives. disease and
will be upon our own
heads and on our own consciences.
If the stories had not been related
by these young girls themselves, with
persons, dates and places, clearly
stated, and later corroberated by in
vestieation, they would seem incredi-
BILE. But they are only too true, as
was the case of little fifteen-year old
Alphonsine Berger, who only last
week threw herself into the protect
ing arms Of the law that she might be
put somewhere, anywhere, away from
temptation and the solicitation of hui
man vultures who, it has been learn
ed, prey upon these mere children in
this city.
And not half of the stories have
been told Unless child has been
brought before the police court moth
ing has been made public. Only last
week child of fifteen was rescued
from the street, and the pursuit Of
two young men, by lady who is IN
terested in this work This lady saw
a woman between forty and fifty
years old and girl about sixteen
pass and repass her house. She watch
ed. She saw two young men accost
them and in few minutes they all
moved down Elm street. The woman
followed. She kept behind the quar-
tette around through Bullock street,
Water street and on 10 Lee street
Here she overlook them and asked
what was going on. The reply was
that the woman and the child had no
money and the men were going to hire
a room for them. The lady prevailed
upon the woman and girl to leave the
men and go to the piazza of a house
nearby and talk. things over. The
holiness of the two men was 90 \
deneed when one stood across
street while the other came to theou
ANA and demanded that the wo
and girl be allowed to 90 with iusi
He persisted in this until il
threatened that the police wo9ervi,
called.
The woman is said to have osts ,
hard face, and it was later lie
that she had been driven OUT
town to the south of Putns
keeping a disorderly house She
ed that the young girl was her d
ter The child said she did not
either Of the men and did not wa.o
go with them, as she was afraid o
would not provide a good place
her. The woman told conflicting sto,.
les. The situation was a problem fol
the lady whose interest had beer
awakened She had no place to senc
the pair The police were called in
but there was little they could do. The
woman and girl had committed nc
crime and there was nothing to arrest