The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-09-10
OMAHA'S HIGH
HONOR TOA
GREAT NEWSBOY
Mayor and Editors of ON
aha Attend His
Funeral

editor of the Omaha Bee; Rome Mil.
Ter, PROPRIETOR of the Rome Hotel; T
w. Mccullough, associate editor OF
the Bee, and men of that class were
speakers at his funeral. One hun
dred newsboys of the city passed re-
solutions bemoaning the death of
their "pal' and extending sympathy
to his family.
His name was Mogy Bernstein. To
newsboys all over the United States
he was known as "Mogy."
Some years ago Mogy married and
took wedding trip to number of
Eastern and Southern cities. While
on the trip, instead of seeing the
"big" sights, Mogy spent most of
his time among the newsboys of those
cities, investigating the condition I'M
der which they worked, talking with
them, being with them.
Through his efforts a juvenile court
was established in Omaha, where all
offenders of a tender age were
brought instead of being taken before
the regular district court. Mogy was
the first probation officer of the city.
Mogy brought his family to Omaha
when he was twelve years old. They
came from Louisville, Ky. The fam
lily was Jewish and poor. There were
number of children, some older,
some younger, than Mogy.
Mogy went on the street selling
newspapers. Clubfooted, he could
not get around like the other news
boys, but he soon had regular line
of customers which none in town
could touch.
His brothers needed educating.
Mogy helped them through high
school and through college. One be-
came a teacher in the Omaha High
School. Another became a rabbi.
But Mogy did not have time to go to
school much himself He won his
own education from the newspapers
and from the streets. And he was
Square"
The other newsboys found out this
quality. They came to him with their
small disputes. Mogy settled them,
and no boy refuse to accept his de-
cision.
He became street circulator for one
of the newspapers and he made
good. He opened shoe shining shop
with half a dozen boys working for
him. Beneath the shop was a large
basement. Mogy fitted this up at
his own eXpens into a sort of dormi-
tory where boys could sleep without
cost. Homeless boys were given a
home.
Judge Ben S. Lindsey, in Denver,
about this time started juvenile
court for the young offenders. Mogy
read about it in the newspapers,
which he still sold. He wanted to
see how the court worked and the re-
suits achieved. So he went to Den
yer, paying his expenses out of his
profits on newspapers which he was
selling at one cent each. He re-
NAMED in Denver a week. Every day
he was in Judge Lindsey's court.
The judge had chair placed next
to his own official bench and the
Omaha newsboy occupied this posi-
ton at every session of this court.
But when court was not in session
Mogy was out with the newsboys and
the street urchins finding out, from
their viewpoint, what that Lindsey
court was really doing for the boys.
When Mogy came back to Omaha
he went to see the seven judges of
the district court. They all knew
him. He talked so enthusiastically
about the Denver Juvenile court, told
them how much good it was doing,
what effect it was having on the boys
of Denver, and, altogether, was SO
strong in his praises that the judges
decided to institute a juvenile court
in Omaha to deal with the small Of
tenders. And they appointed Mogy
the chief probation officer.
Small boys who knew nothing of
legal oath, when about to testify,
were often asked.
DO you know what will happen to
you if you tell lie?"
eyes, Mogy'll git me-" was the ans
wer every now and then.
Last spring Mogy, now grown to
manhood, married and, with two
children, opened a small restaurant.
Some of the biggest business men
in Omaha took their lunch with Mogy
But the labor shortage struck his
place and he was forced to close
down, as were number of other
Omaha restaurants. Rent and or
ganization expenses continued. Last
week Mogy was found dead in his
restaurant. A pistol lay near his
hand. The police say suicide. His
family say murder.
At the funeral the most prominent
men in Omaha were the pail bearers.
And the evening following the burial
500 men and women and school boys
and boys Of the street gathered at the
Rome Hotel to pay honor to the
memory of Omaha's crippled newsboy !
who had made good.
OITR WANT kDC DAV