The Old Times: JESSE JAMES GANG PROVES TERROR TO OLDER KIDS


 It was January 25th of 1908 and there were a lot leg-based news going on. A policeman shot a fleeing youth in the leg for tagging obscenities on a wall, proving that history repeats itself in a beautiful violent circle. George Ruppan, local ice-cutter, had his leg "crushed off" on the river while cutting ice. Also, Mrs. Elizabeth Halsted burned to death in her home. But enough with the fun stuff.

A regular Jesse James gang was rounded up in the juvenile court Saturday morning, when Walter Czarnecki, Walter Ruszkiwicz, Stanislaus Kakonski, John Jablonski and Albert Kenzinski were before Judge Rohnert. The boys, who range in age from 12 to 15 years, live in the vicinity of St. Aubin and Kirby-aves., and from their admissions it is learned, they have become a terror to the small boys living in that section of the city.

Stealing coal from the railroads or teasing peddlers was too tame for these boys, so they stole a revolver and became, hold-up artists of the dime novel sort. They described to the judge how their leader, a boy of 15, held the revolver pointed at their victim's head while the other lads searched his pockets. A complaining witness against the boys was a little fellow who was held up in this manner and relieved of $2.

At another time the boys stole a gallon of brandy from Edward Henkel's wagon, and were preparing for a big drunk when a policeman interrupted them. The boys were finally let off with a warning.

First off, I love how the newspaper individually names each kid and where they live. These kids weren't the 80's bullies in leather jackets that take your lunch money. These kids were criminally insane. They held a guy at gun point and stole the equivalent of $65 cash from a "little fellow". All the while poor Edward Henkel, who apparently has his own vices, lost an entire gallon of brandy. Lock your wagon up when you're transporting your addictions, Eddie. The kids didn't even get to drink it before they were busted. I'm sure they will never do any of this again as their punishment of a stern warning probably changed their lives. Probably.




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