Newspaper Page Text
’ THE
£3 si^^Ts'
the sta te>
VOLUNE ONL.
NUJIVLH ELEVEN-
The Jubenile Court of T)enter, Col. “’’'f- s ! r "“ ipk
N Saturday mornings, a scene unusual,
but full of human interest to those who
understand, is witnessed in the County
Court rooms of Denver, Colorado, for
ou Saturdays do countless boys who are
“on probation,” and come under the
jurisdiction of Judge “Ben” Lindsey,
gather to make their reports. They are
supposed to come individually, but it
vjp
V
is more like a family gatherin'?. and the
boys approach Judge Lindsey gladly, cheer
’ully, as a friend, and the element of fear
and trembling is altogether lacking.
Judge Lindsey is the father of the Juve
nile Court, and while a just judge, he gets
down among the boys on Saturdays and the
report is more of a helpful exchange of con
fidences and experiences than anything else.
The fame of Judge Lindsey’s Court is wide
spread. He himself is a man small of stat
ure, but large of heart and mind. He oc
cupies a unique position in Colorado politics.
Tied to no party, cordially hated by the
politicians, both Democratic and Republi
can, be wcs the nominee of all parties for
County Judge of the City and County of
Denver, and was elected by a unanimous
vote. Judge Lindsey’s strength lies with
the people, however, and is due to his cour
age and ability. When he went into office
the first time, he risked political oblivion by
rooting out the graft that obtained in coun
tv affairs—for instance, like paying sl6 for
binding a book that could be purchased new
for $4, and paying $3 each for files that can
be had at any stationer’s for 25 cents.
When, on one occasion, Judge Lindsey
started on an eastern tour, bills were intro
luced in the legislature which would have
brought any other man back to Denver on
the next train, for they were aimed at him,
and would not only injure him financially,
hut cripple the famed juvenile court of which
he is the father. One bill, which would affect him
alone provided that his salary be deducted for such
time as he was not attending court. This would
stop his extensive lecture tours, during which he
has done so much to instruct other cities in his Ju
venile Court System, or cause him to forfeit his
salary during such absences. Another bill provided
for a repeal of the law which authorizes one county
judge to sit for another. Judge Lindsey’s juvenile
court occupies much of his time, and he has fre
quently called on outside judges to preside in court
and transact his court business. That the business
has not suffered may be judged from the fact that
last year, 24,100 cases, civil and probate, were dis
posed of, and during a three years’ period, the
court’s receipts have exceeded all expenses by
something above $25,000. Judge Lindsey, however,
ATLANTA, GA., MAY 3, 1906.
relied upon bis strength with the people to protect
his interests which are, in reality, their own, and
in this trust he was in no wise disappointed. He
is only 34 years old, and he is the father of the
juvenile court, and it is due to his efforts that Colo
rado was the first state by law to place the
Responsibility for the Delinquent Child
upon the parent and the home. Under this law,
JUDGE “BEN” LINDSEY.
Judge Lindsey tried in eighteen months, 454 cases
at an expense of $14,600, when the same cases would
have cost $103,000 in the criminal court.
In the latter the boys would have been hardened
by criminal conviction, and been heard from again,
but it is rare indeed when a boy appears before
Judge Lindsey a second time. So wonderful is his
influence that where he has had to send a boy to
the industrial school, in every case he has exacted
a promise from the boy himself that he would go
and in not a single case has the boy failed to live
up to his given word.
The court has jurisdiction over boys under 1G
years old who <ire charged with crime, vicious hab
its, idleness or truancy. There is a
Compulsory Education Law
and three probate officers look out after truants or
By G . T . HALL EY .
delinquents. Parents are the ones prosecuted where
the child is guilty of offenses that may be cor
rected at home. This law is recognized as so sal
utary, that always the issue is met, no parent hav
ing ever sought a jury trial..
The first appearance of a child leads to a moral
lecture, kindly and friendly. He is placed on
probation and compelled to make monthly reports
to the judge in person. He soon learns to
look on the judge as a friend, and not five
per cent of the boys charged with crime ever
appear to answer a second offense, which is
punishable by incarceration in the Industrial
School.
■Colorado children are protected by a child
labor law, which is rigidly enforced. De
pendent children are all found homes, or are
sent to the State Home for Dependent Chil
‘ dren.
As has been said, Saturday is Juvenile
Court day, and though there may be no cases
on trial, usually
One Hundred and Fifty Boys Gather
to talk with Judge Lindsey. Under his in
fluence one boy will persuade another to
come up and admit his misdemeanors, prom
ising to refrain in the future. There is a
story told of one small boy, aged twelve,
who appeared before Judge Lindsey to beg
that his brother, aged ten, be put “on pro
bation” as the elder brother knew of crimi
nal offerses that the younger was commit
ting, and sought to save him by means of
the juvenile court. The result was, that the
younger boy was soon helping, himself, to
bring criminal companions into court, and
also exerting all his influence to “keep
other fellows straight” by dispensing Judge
1 indsey’s influence. And strange to relate,
there is a growing percentage of cases in
Judge Lindsey’s court, due to the voluntary
confessions of the delinquents themselves. A boy
who breaks his promise to the judge is absolutely
tabooed by the others, and utterly ignored because
he is not “on the square,” and it requires hard
work on his part, as well as the solicitation of the
judge for the offender to regain favor with his
playmates.
There Is one story which Judge Lindsey loves to
tell—it is of x
How Harry Kept Faith and the Judge held his Job.
It seems that one winter’s night the city jailor
telephoned Judge Lindsey that a boy was impris
oned who was crying so bitterly as to touch all
hearts, and although this was before the day of the
Juvenile Court, it was not before Judge Lindsey
designed and desired to help all boys—he hurried
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.
EIVE CENTS A COPY.
