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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1919)
THE BEE: OMAHA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1919. photo run BRYANT WASHBURN -IN 'Why Smith Left Home' Train Wreck Hotel Fire Thun der Storm Earthquake. MAE ALLISON In "Peggy Does Her Parndest" Who Will Give This Child a Child's Chance? Byron Michael, 12-Year-01d Boy, Given 9 Years in Reformatory For Theft Of 29 Books He Loved Needs a Home, Not a Cell in Prison Is Bright, Intelligent, Sunny in Disposition and ' Likeable-the Sheriff Likes Him-Is a "Great Reader and Lover of Books" Say Police Them selvesThis Boy Is (Plastic Material and May Be Made Into a Man He Can Be Pardoned Who Will Give Him a Chance, a Fair Chance ? LOTHROP24"; MAY ALLISON in "ALMOST MARRIED" T By WILLIAM TANQUERY. Theft is inherent in all sentient be- in. The baby reaches for the sugar slyly; even the babe that is too young to know right frojn wrong. It has no idea it is doing wrong until it catches an eye observing it ac tion, then the hand is jerked away. The dog goes to dig up a bone vPHOTO PLAYS iff Presents DOUGLAS M LEANED DORIS MAY it m ta al M c Mary Roberts Rinehart A Thomas H. Incc Production "The uniform he wore, It was nothin' much before, And rather less than 'arf o' that behind." Until she arrayed x him like, this! And then, Oh! Boy! What a scream. jfffammow&trkmft, FACT, was that Private Bill had arrived at her home in his B. V. D.'s! And she wasjhis gen eral's daughter! - Besides, Bill's mongreFpup had bit the general in the leg, and Bill was known as the worst sol dier in camp. Yet he'd bet with his buddies he would dine with his commander and he'd sworn to himself he would capture the girl. ( Twelve 18 20 23 the hours flew past, and grinning Failure was just reaching out a bony hand for Bill when that last half-hour !!J Oh, boy! what a finish! v , Mary Roberts Rinehart's famous "Saturday Evening Post" story, made intoa picture that sizzles with action and roars with fun. , For your approval Friday and Saturday. El ki toy Uilliaiiis? A playing card and a hat were found beside ihe body x Thrilling ( Western TODAY and SATURDAY ll Th rilling Western TODAY and SATURDAY BESSIE BARRISCALE in Mly Kelly, v. buried by another, he approaches cautiously, slinking, with eyes and ears alert, and dashes quickly away to a hiding place when it has gotten1 it. If a horse is eating in its stall, or from a peck of corn, and its at tention is attracted away, a second horse will reach to take some of it, and immediately that the first horse turns back, will snort and jerk its head away, conscious of theft. The Case of Byron Michael. Shall Byron Michael, a 12-year-old boy, too immature to exercise reasonable governorship' over him self, be condemned idr yielding to this temptation, the one to which the mother of all mankindi herself yielded, and which throughout the ages has been immediately coinci dent 'with the awakening of the, vital spark itself in all,forms of conscious life, from the beast in the cave to the babe in the mansion? Byron lives in Beatrice, Neb. He' is bright, sunny of disposi tion and likeable. The sheriff likes him and says so. He is in qail at Beatrice, awaiting transportation to the reformatory, and, says the story: "Sheriff Shiek gives his youthful prisoner every attention. The lad appears to feel perfectly at home. and spends his time reading and playing about the corridors of the jail as though he were in school; the sheriff says he is a bright little fellow, very polite and he enjoys his company." The boy was arrested for stealing some books trom the public library. The telegraph dispatch as sent out from Beatrice said: Byron Michael, ,a 12-year-old boy of this city, was arraigned in court this morning on a charge of stealing ) books from the public library.' Judge Pemberton sentenced him to nine years in the state reformatory, or until he is i. ' Nine years for stealing 29 books from the public library 1 It soundiy! Incredible. A moment's AMUSEMENTS. ' ' -7 IT I if It M II 11 J$S If II if s Jit (1) The boy, Byron Michaels: (2) the prosecutor. Gountv Attornev Vasey; (3) the judge, L. M. Pemberton; (4) the sheriff, J. L. Schiek. The photo is taken in front of the Jail at Beatrice. It shows the boy to have a well shaped head, nose and chin. His eyes are squinted up in the suniignt. Tonight and $at- SAT. MATINEE The Distinguished Comedienne - In a liTIAMtl From the New I I A H Story by Mary Rob- Comedy ' " " ' erts Rinehart. NIGHTS: SOc to $2.0O--MAT: 50c to $1.50 25 SUNDAY PRICES NIGHTS: SOc to $2.00 Ponular Priced Matinees. Sunday and Wednesday, 50c, 75c, $1.00. Boyd's Theater Tonight at 8 and Saturday POPULAR MATINEE SATURDAY. The N. Y. Winter Garden's PASSING SHOW AN ALL STAR CAST , HEADED BY Willie & Eugene Howard ROY CUMMINGS JOHN BUNKE WM. PHIILBRICK EDWARD BASSE AND 150 OTHERS, INCLUDING THE WINTER GARDEN CHORDS BOYD Sun, Nov, 2 -THEATER- 3 Days Com. 1 NOT A MOTION PICTURE ' Oliver Morosco Presents Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne Themselves in "THE MASTER THIEF" With a Notable Cast Special Matinee Tuesday Seats Now. PHOTO TIAXS last 2 iii J reflection brought ipto view a wide vista of speculation was it possible for the story to be true? What could the judge have been thinking of to visit such an enormity on the youthful culprit? What will the boy's life be during those nine years, and what will he be when he comes from the reformatory at the end, a fully developed human being "who walks forth into a world of which he knows naught but what little has filtered through the walls of his prison, a youth whose every moment of life has been guarded, watched, spied into, and repressed, who will know naught of the ordi nary joys of other boys, of school days, fishing, base ball, foot ball, and of the movies? What will he do, and what storms of anger, re sentment and" undying hatred will seeth in his mind when he advances into the life of his fellow men, walks freely for the first time in his life down the crowded streets, beholds the joyojis crowds and wondrous glories to be seen on everv hand and reflects on what he has been .. if.t e . rooDea or during tnose precious nine years ot the 70 allotted to him in this life? His Second Offense. inquiry was made, ana it was learned that the story was true. He had stolen, he was but 12 years old, and he wast bright, sun ny-tempered, likeable little bov- but it was his second offense, and Instead of 29 books, it was 59 DOOkS. His first offense had been that of going into a house and aooatentlv gathering up everything lying loose that he could carry away, includ ing some silverware and $25 in money. He had been arrested, made confession, the money taken from mm, ana tne stolen goods given Dack to tne householder. The books had been taken a few at a time, Byron throwing them out a back window of the library. ana later going around, collecting tnem, ana taking them to a olace wnere ne couia read them. A Lover of Books. The story continues: "An investigation conducted bv the authorities revealed the fact that young' Michael, who is a great reader ana lover ot books, had thrown a few of them through a back window of the library at times when he visited the place." Now the father is an employe of i local mill, and. the story says: 'The parents offhe child aooear to be satisfied with the sentence of the court; they are of the opinion that the reform school is the proper place for him, their son. so , . This 12-year-old reader and lover of books, whose oarents think the reform school is the proper place for tneir son, a boy who apparently had little to do when his nose wasn't buried in the aforesaid books, ex- AMPSEMEXTS. MAT, DAILY 2:18 THl KIT EVERY NIGHT IN vauocvillc EMMA HAI8 and JACK WALDRON T. ROY BARNES anil BESSIE CRAWFORD . 'THE CURRENT OF FUN" Ernmett; Mary Ryan & Co.: Hnyilen 4 Enxlle: Stmt Juhaiz: Suttsr & Dell: Kin aersmi; Tonlci ef the Day. "Omaha's Fun Center" tOj St7 Pally Mat., 15-25-50c py4Evii, 25-50-75C. $1 Last Times Today, 2:15 8:30 "Girls de lll.l a r-i M.lr.i Looks" A HaiSUJl & tOnail Burlesque Tomorrow (Saturday) Matinee and Week, P,imr..S,Ti Burlesque wonder snow LADIES' DIME MATINEE WEEK DAYS jJ V j m aa) a-f aWl TWO SHOWS IN ONE. GUILIANI FOUR DELMARS LIONS MINNIE STANLEY t CO. ADAMS 4 HICKEY Phatoelay Attraction -The Moomhlnt Trait," featurlns Sylvia Braamar. Mack Sanaett Com-SL cept to roam around and get into mischief . Is to be buried alive for nine years because it was his second of fense. Why, even the waves cast up a man the third time. No Incentiye to be Good. And it must not be forgotten that the sentient being will not be good, according to accepted canons, unless there is an incentive to be good. The beast, or house animal becomes good because of fear of punishment if it doesn't, and man becomes good for the various reasons found in law, society and religion. ' Who Helped Byron? Did Byron have anv incentive to be good? Was any helping hand held out to him? Was the error of his ways poured into his ears between sobs of sorrow over his crime, while held close to a loving heart? Was he taken aside and talked to in a kindly manner, and in one calculated to im press him and inspire him with a re alization of what he had done, and what a continuance of his course! would lead to? Or was he merely turned loose with a reprimand, with jeers from his fellow children, and nagging re proaches from others ringing in his ears from morning till night, with the parole officer shaking his stick at him in a- threatening, warning manner every time he chanced to see him on the streets'? Not to Be Blamed. In other words, if any ordinary boy of only 12 years, too immature to reason out things tor himseir, had no incentive held out to him to be good, beyond those threats and fear which inspire resentment in youthful breasts more than anything else, is there any wonder at his sec ond offense, and is he to be blamed for it? What to Do With Him. The problem is then oresented what shall be done with the boy? It seems a pity to lockvup this immature child for his crime. But it is an equal pity to turn him loose again, if he.is not to be surrounded with influences that will furnish him an incentive to be good. To put him back in his same old position is deliberately placing him again straight in the middle of the pathway he had been pursuing. This alternative is presented the judge and the law prescribes the reformatory as punishment, if the decision is for punishment. "Until He is of Age." Although the court ' took into consideration the youth of the pris oner." savs the storV. "the judge was determined to check Michael's career as a thief, if possible, and promptly sentenced him to the state reformatory until he shall oe 01 age- ... Mow let the heavens weep ana stone statues shed tears ot blood. There should be reason in all things, but there appears to be little in this. If he had to go to the reforma tory why for NINE years? Whv not tor one year, tor an in determinate time, for such a time would warranf giving the child an other trial of his freedom? What Officials Say. Regarding this, County Attorney Vasey, who prosecuted the- boy, said: i "This lad had been paroled and was given an opportunity to ao better, but he failed. , The state re formatory is the place for him. True, is hard to see one of his years go there for so long a period, but he I undoubtedly will be a better boy when he is released. - Judge L. M. Pemberton. who tried and sentenced the child, said: Why, of course, the state re-1 formatory is the only place for such a boy. He will be obliged to do right there, and will not be allowed to run. the streets, steal, and lie to nis parents. Officer Jess Walker, who first ar rested tne boy, stated that he was a bad egg. Will Be v Better Boy? "He undoubtedly will be bet ter boy when he is released," says the county attorney. Will he? In the answer to that question lies the heart of the solution of thjs child s entire life. If he would be a better boy there than he would under the influence of his parents or of foster parents who would give him the care and attention that a boy of his years needs, the wisdom of the court's ac tion could not be denied. But -the conviction lurks that he will not be a better boy. A child is won by love and not by fear. A child can be repressed and driven by . fear the fear which is the authority at the state reforma tory, or any kindred institution, but the very thing that it is sought to repress and drive out will simply break forth anew with redoubled force when the fear or repression is removed. Love, only, can train and shape a child's character. And if this love is lacking in those places -where ft naturally should be manifested toward the child, then the state should fold means of sup plying it. To Foster Parents. It is the duty, of the state, of so ciety, of the state ot Nebraska in which this child was born, to give it a chance. It is the duty of the state and of its citizens to give it a regular child's chance. It must supply what is missing. and what is needed in this child s life. ... Love and kindly counsel and guardianship has been missing. The reformatory cannot supply this. . No matter how kindly hearted the reformatory officials and teachers are, the constant daily struggle with a band of children such as they have to handle is $uch as to wear upon their nerves, and is not conducive to the calm, and equable and patient disposition which is so important in handling children. Needs a Home. The child need a real home, not a reformatory. A home probably would do more good in a week than the reformatory in two months, and a year more good than the entire nine at the reformatory. ' ' : While one year, much less nine, at the state institution surrounded hv irreconcilables of all ages and dispositions, will work almost irre parable injury to the child's disposi tion and character. Who Will Give It? Who will eive this child what it apparently never has had, and what the state cannot proviaer Where is the kind-hearted, Chris tian home that will throw its doors . i J ' 1a. open to tnis enna ana give u , a child's chance? The boy "is lover of books. Any boy who will read, or who can be made to read, is plastic ma terial from which can be built any character, almost any character that is wiUed. And this is a boy who doesn't have to be driven. He is receptive, he is clay, bright, intelligent, polite, and likeable, gat ing up trustfully into the eyes of those about him, too young yet to know or conceive of anything" the world has in store' for him, and with that mischief and love of life shining in his eyes that may lead him to make. his mark in the world either on tne walls of a peniten tiary if he- is allowed to. go into the darkness unguided, or perhaps upon the walls of the hall of fame if he is taken by the hand and shown the pathway into the great er, better, ana more happy lue the life of service to others. The life of such service to others that he now pleads for, for him self. ' i He Can Be Pardoned. "In astnuch as ye do this unto others" So has it. been said. This boy can be pardoned. He will be' pardoned, if a help ing hand is' held out to him. it there is anyone who will give him the chance he should have, and for which he himself is too young to know about and ask. for. What more glory can there be in life or the hereafter than to rescue and build up life itself. What monument more great than to take this child aud make a man of him. There are misgivings? The fate of others is remembered? Even so But give this child his chance, anvwav. Is he to be denied his chance be cause another proved unworthy? This is an age of service. It is the great age of service. It is .an aee of the rights of men. Men are todav demanding as their rights, in stead of as favors, those things which are theft- natural heritage. This child's claim to a chance is his by right and not by favor. And his chance does not lie m the reformatory. That IS not a fair chance. How happy you would be, now in the sedate years of your age, if, when you were 12 you had been placed in this boy's position, ignorantly standing uRon the edge of the nits of hell, smiling down into the dark depths, and iaughing gleefully in your innocence it some kind hand had drawn yon gently back, and given you our chance, or at any rate pointed it out to you. What thankfulness would well into your heart as you gaze' about your well ordered home and contrast it with the dark cells of the peniten tiary which might have been yours? Will you give the boy the chance you would have appealed for your self? Will you give him the- service which Christianity promises, and which .the brotherhood of man de mands as a right, a right that you can claim, but which yon must pass on to others if you do so? great reader and f FREE YOUR KIDNEYS OF ALL POISON If you ace one of the vast army of rheumatic sufferers we earnestly ad vise you to get a bottle of Kheuma- chol. We know it has relieved and cured others and we feel positive It 1 will do the same for you. Rheuma chol Is prepared purposely to cleanse the kidneys from all poisonous sub- ; stances that cause rheumatism and its kindred ills. For sale at your : druggist's or send $1.00 for bottle and free booklet to H. E. Machol, Idaho Springs, Colorado. EVERYMAN'S CLUB 116 South 15th St., 1st Floor. Reading and writing rooms. Music, moving pictures and entertainment. Employment, information and legal aid. Free to every man. Under auspices "National Catholic War Council. bili lOUS Chamber For attack Iain's Tablets are excellent. HALLOW-E'EN Friday, October 31st 9:30 P.M. to 1 A.M. Dancing Lots of Fun ,,j Favors for All AL WRIGHT and His ORCHESTRA hM'T CITCCriM I aVWll aS abalW 0hCORN FIX ni CORN! Stops the pain In stantly and In 10 minutes t h i corn or cal lows 1 (i "a 1 1 'gone. No ex tended treat- menti: no i oaklnir the feet. Safe, sure and elm-i pie. CORN FIX Is wonderful! Take I no other. 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Druggists refund money if PAZO OINT MENT faila to cure Itching, Blind, ll.-triing or Protruding Piles. Stops Irritation: Boothes and Heals. You can get restful sleep after the fit,st application. Price 60c. UNION OUTFITTING GO. MAKES BIG PURCHASE OF FLOOR LAMPS AT REMARKABLE SAVING Dozens of Beautiful Bases and Shades Will Be Placed On Sale Next Saturday. Lamps Embrace the Newest and Most Fashionable Designs. There is something akin to en chantment' in the added beauty that the soft rays of a Floor Lamp lends to room on winter eyenings and it is so easy to own one because of a Special Pur chase made by the Union Out fitting Company. In the sale which takes place next Saturday there is every kind of Floor Lamp imaginable in all the latest designs, colors and sizes; embracing : High Piano Lamps, Low Davenport Lamps and artistic Table Lamps. The Shades are artistically fashioned from rich looking silks that harmonize with modern dec orations and are trimmed with beads, fringes and tassels. . This Special Purchase further emphasizes the tremendous buy ing power of the Union Outfitting Company, located out of the high rent district. As always, you make your own terms. Omaha's New Store Grocery Dept. SPECIAL FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY Tall cans Pet-and Carnation Milk. . . . . . . . v . . . . 16e Extra good grade of Navy Beans, per lb. ...... 9 U c' Sugar, per lb .11c Macaroni arjd Spaghetti, per package . , . ............ 10c Lenox Soap, per bar 5c , Rub-No-More, ' per pkg. ... 7c Lux, per pkg. 14e H.H. HARPER CO. 17th and Howard, FUtiron Building I LET US MOVE AND PACK your goods. We are pre pared to handle your wants in a business man ner that will .please you and will leave a satisfac tory memory of the way in which we will take care of your business. Thus we have, built a suc cessful business. 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