Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1910 — WORST BOY IN NEW YORK. [ARTICLE]

WORST BOY IN NEW YORK.

Smart Juvenile Pickpocket Who Can Slake an Honest Llvlns. Admitting a criminal career from coast to coast of the United States, Moses Vogle, 13 years old, of 9 West 112th street, stood before Justice Hoyt, in the children’s court, and was ordered sent to the Jewish Protectory. Moses, who is known to the officers of the Children’s Society as “the worst boy in New York” for his years, promised Justice Hoyt to be a model prisoner in the protectory and to reform on being discharged. "If I can’t live an honest life when I come out I’ll end It all by taking my life,” he said. He said he would plead guilty to anything, hgt the only charge the officers had to make against him was that of “sleeping in a hallway.” While professing the utmost sorrow for his “career in crime,” as he called it, the boy related many experiences he had, and in telling his story mentioned the worst offenses he had committed, the New York Sun says. His “specialty” in.crime is picking pockets, with companions about his own age, and Jib said he and his gang could steal wauhes from men's poCKeta

while a policeman stood six teet away. Justice Hoyt openly expressed his surprise when told that the lad was, a "bad” boy, for Moses does not look the part. , ' , ' “I’m willing to go away if you won’t send me to the House of Refuge,” Moses told the justice. “They havp one of my brothers in that place, and they beat him and treat him badly.” An agent of the Jewish Protectory Interrupted to say he doubted the wisdom of sending “the prisoner at’ the bar” to that institution, “for fear he will spoil the other boys.” Justice Hoyt said he was impressed with’ the promise of Moses to be a good boy hereafter. Moses looks like a boy 10 years old. He told the court he was a "candy merchant” and could earn an honest living if given a chance. “I have run away from home several times,” he confessed, “and I have helped other boys ‘hook hangers’ (watches) from men’s pockets, and done all sorts of other mean things. Also I have been in court about a hats 1 rememher nrm time I was whipped by Lieut. Ward until I promised I would be good. But I got in bad soon, and with two othfer boys I went out West. Did I bum my way? Well, I guess not. We traveled in Pullmans. We had lots of money, and it was easy to get from town to town. We hooked ‘hangers’ right in the front of detectives’ eyes; they were too slow for us. We stopped off in Detroit, Cleveland and Chicago, and finally landed in Los Angeles, where we stayed two months, living on what we picked from men’s pockets. “Sometimes I would shiver v hile ‘covering’ a companion who was hooking a man’s watch, and always I felt mean about these acts, but I didn’t dare to ‘snitch.’ My companions would have done anything to me —push me off a roof or cut my throat—if I had snitched.’ I have made honest money and I have made crooked money. If I had SSO now to start on I bet I could make all sorts of honest money in a short time. Why* already I am a sort of candy trust in nlysflf. I have a gang of boys whom I supply with candy to sell in front of half A dozen of the big theaters, and I rake in the profits. But I pay my boys good wages if they work hard and sell. 75 cents’ worth a night. They can sell this much and loaf on a pretty night, but on a bad night it’s tough. When on a good night they don’t sell 75 cents’ worth I give ’em carfare only and send ’em home. In this way I make money out of boys who won’t work enough to earn their money.”