YOUTHFUL BURGLARS

Evening Star, Issue 13091, 26 October 1908, Page 6

YOUTHFUL BURGLARS

TO BE WELL BIRCHED. [Special to the Star.] ■ INVERCARGILL, October 26. At the juvenile Court this morning five boys, between the ages of. nine and thirteen, were charged with burglariously entering tlie house of an old man eighty-two years of age, and stealing £l4 in cash, a tin of condensed milk, and two watches and chains, whilo the owner was in the hospital. Detective Cameron explained that the boys had made three visits, to the house, and had spent the money in. lollies, fruit, fishing linc'3, hiring bicycles, and a holiday at the Bluff. The police had recoveiecl nearly £9 and also the watches and chains. The boys were most untruthful. All pleaded guilty. Mr Oruickshank, 5.M.,. dismissed the case against the nine-year-old boy, but convicted the rest, and on arraigning them before'him informed them that they had been convicted of a dirty, low-down theft from a poor old man, and would receive twelve strokes of the birch (a new one) from a constable, and he hoped: that they would get something that would remind them of it to the end of their days.