LARRIKINISM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 10

LARRIKINISM

TROUBLE AT BROOKLYN

GANGS OF YOUTHS

Some time ago a number of Brooklyn youths appeared in the Magistrate'^ Court, and reference was then made to the behaviour of gangs of youths in that district. Attention was again drawn to the matter to-day when four youths, whose ages ranged between 18 and 20, were charged with using obscene language, behaving in a disorderly manner, and with casting offensive matter. Their names were Douglas Beveridge, John Davies, Cosmo Bobert Claude Jeffrey, and Cyril Beattie. The offences occurred in Harrison street, Brooklyn, on Good Friday night.

On that night, said Sub-Inspector Lopdell, a constable heard very bad language being used, and on coming. closer, saw the four accused. A beer bottle was broken while he was watching, and some of the contents ran down the footpath. The language was of a very bad nature, and apparently tho accused were trying in a spirit of bravado to-outdo one another. Three of the accused .had been warned by the constable previously as to their behaviour, and Jeffrey, who was 'the ringleader, had been before the Court last year on a charge of theft.. In the constable's opinion he was a young man who, unless he pulled himself together, would get himself and those he associated with into serious trouble before long. "The complaint of the constable," continued the sub-inspector,."is that quite a number of young fellows up there get into mobs and cause trouble on the streets. The difficulty is that unless they are dealt1 with severely by the police and'tire Court they will become serious nuisances and start a lot of troubled" "I'm afraid," said Mr. C. B. O'Donnell, who appeared for the accused, "that the combination of half a dozen bottles of beer and four youths is rather an ominous oiie, and I am not surprised that they have lauded themselves into Court. Apparently when they get together they try to outdo each other to show their manly qualities, and. it then remains for one of them to do something silly.'' All the youths were on the threshold of manhood, and with the exception of Jeffrey had not been in trouble before.. As on this occasion, it had been too much liquor that had got Jeffrey into the Court before, as after obtaining liquor at a hotel he and a companion went to a restaurant and stole some cutlery. "It is _ the old j story—if a heavy fine is inflicted the parents will have to bear the brunt of it," said counsel. Mr.'E. Page, S.M., fined each of the accused £5 and the costs. "I want to warn them.that the police report is not at all favourable about them and other youths in the vicinity, and if they come before the Court again they will probably be: faced with a more serious charge than that of to-day," he said.

ANOTHER OFFENCE,

"This is another Brooklyn onence, There seems to be a great deal of liberty taken by the youths up there," said' Sub-Inspector Lopdell, when Koy Smith was charged with casting offensive matter. He was fined &1 and the costs. '