A BOY ACTS AS 'JUDGE'
"KANGAROO" COURT WHILE
WAITING FOR REAL JURIST.
Juveniles Play "Big" Until Judge
McCune Comes, and Then Young-
ster in Chair Goes to
Reform School.
"This court will now behave!" said Joe Tint, and incorrigible 12-year-old of 1902 McGee street, as he called a kangaroo court to order in the witness room of the juvenile court yesterday morning. There was half an hour to spare before Judge H. L. McCune was to arrive, and the children, whose cases were set for yesterday, all got a sentence from Joe in that half hour.
"Who are these people?" Joe asked, pointing to three boys sitting disconsolately in a corner. "These people" were Ralph, Orpha and Leota Hill, waifs found recently alone in a house at 2101 Vine street.
"They are the Hillocks," suggested one.
"Naw, theys just foothills," said Joe. "Foothills, stand up! I sentence each of you to a square meal. Draw on 'Doc' Mathias for the grub."
"What are you in here for?" Joe asked of Joe Shaeffer.
"He stole $1.04 from a man," said Carl Robinson, who thereby appointed himself prosecuting attorney.
"Did the man have any more money? asked Joe.
"Yes, I guess so," the prisoner said.
"Ninety-nine years for you. Why didn't you get all of it?"
"What's that under that straw stack there in the corner?" the court inquired. Oh, it's a negro, is it? Well, take off your hat. You stole a dollar and spent it for fireworks, I believe. You ain't old enough to burn money. Four years for you."
Just then the real court convened and Kangaroo Judge Joe was called.
Joe has been in and out of juvenile court for four years and was sentenced to the reform school in May, 1903. He was paroled in April, 1904. he was before the court for quitting thirteen jobs which had been found for him.
"I'm sorry to have to sentence you, Joe," Judge McCune said to Joe, "but you'll have to back to the reform school for four years.
