THE JUVENILE COURT

DOUGLASS, CORUM, EICHELBERGER

Posted By: David (email)
Date: 1/2/2005 at 00:23:46

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa
Thursday, August 29, 1907

The theory of courts are to be just but at times they seem cruel,
never-the-less. On Tuesday Judge Eichelberger sentenced a couple of boys to
the Industrial School at Eldora -- EARL DOUGLASS, of Chariton, and ROY CORUM
of Lucas. For some time mischievous boys at Lucas have been in the habit
of placing ties and other obstructions on the Burlington Railroad track and
then scamper into hiding. A short time since the offense was committed
again and the crowd "skedaddled" as usual but when they were told to halt
the two young sons of JOHN CORUM stopped and were taken into custody -- ROY,
aged 11 and FLOYD, aged 8. The younger boy was released owing to his age.
JOHN CORUM, their father, was seen by a Leader reporter, Tuesday, and he
feels very badly about it. He says he does not believe his boys would have
been guilty of the offense had they not been persuaded by the other and
older boys, who had had enough experience in juvenile deviltry to slip out
and betray the younger ones. His wife, the mother of the boys, was also
here, and also voices this opinion. MR. CORUM is a hard working man and is
employed on the Burlington section every day and said he would have gone to
work on Tuesday had not this court case come up. They have five children
and feel keenly the separation from their oldest one -- ROY.

EARL DOUGLASS is the little fellow that has been about town, son of MRS.
DICK DOUGLASS, and about everybody knows him. He has but one leg and in
place of the other has an artificial one but gets about as lively as a
cricket -- in fact it is this ability to get about that has caused him to be
sent to Eldora. he was not of a vicious or criminal nature but was out at
all times day and night -- traveling about through the streets.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 1, 2005
iggy29@rnetinc.net