Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 September 1904 — BOY WRITES VILE LETTER. [ARTICLE]

BOY WRITES VILE LETTER.

Federal Authorities Discover Unususl Case ot Youthful Depravity Near Wheatfteld. Monday's Indianapolis Sentinel: A flagrant violation of the postal laws has just come to light, which puzzles the Federal authorities. Gale Smith, an eleven-year-old boy, was arrested yesterday and taken before Commissioner Reiter of Hammond on the charge of writing an improper letter. He pleaded guilty to the charge but the authorities are at a loss to know what would prompt a youth of that age to do such a thing. Some time ago young Smith saw a picture of a beautiful eight-year old girl of Louisville in a monthly magazine. He cut out the picture and wrote her a letter which was vile in the extreme. Smith was bound over to the Federal grand jury and his bond placed at SSOO. He lives with hie rather in the country near Wheatfield, Jasper County, and is said to be a bright little fellow. The Federal authorities say it is the only case of the kind that ever occured in this section of the tryMerchant cigars at J. W. King’s.