Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1898 — Sent To The Reform School. [ARTICLE]

Sent To The Reform School.

Another Rensselaer Boy Achieves that Dismal Distinction. Saturday afternoon Judge Thompson, at the Clerk’s office, gave a hearing to the application of Mrs. Rebecca A. Gibson, wife of E. T. Gibson, to have her son, Alonzo J. Stivers sent to the reform school, at Plainfield. The boy is not yet 16 years old. His mother and step father testified that he was incorrigible, and that they could do nothing with him. Every effort had been mhde to keep him in school, but he utterly refused to go. He herded with tough companions, used profane and indecent language, smoked cigarettes and had other vicious practices. The Judge heard the evidence and sentenced the boy to the state reform school until he was 21, unless sooner discharged. Sheriff Reed took him down on the night train Saturday, application for his reception having been made by telegraph, and n favorable answer received.