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’ 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.