BOY BRIGANDS IN THE UNITED STATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6948, 23 February 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOY BRIGANDS IN THE UNITED STATES.

A BADE of boy brigands is gradually being formed in the Unit-d States through the effect on the youthful imagination of melodramatic novels with burglars and highwaymen for thoir heroee. The miscreants, brought into activity by the ten-cent tales of criminal life distinctly known as "dime novels," are thenselves known as " dimenovel brigands," and three members of this desperate class who were recently brought before the police magistrate of Harlem, were shown to have formed themselves into a band which, after establishing itself in a mountainous district, was to catry off and hold to ransom beautiful maidens ami wealthy tourists. Before making for the hills the youthful banditti plundered the hotel in which they had passed the night; more, it would seem, on principle than with a mere view to profit, for their booty consieted only of thirty-six keys, which they had taken from the bedroom doors. It appeared from a ledper found in their possession, that they had begun business with a capital of 200 dollars, "made at New York." But most of this sum had been spent; before they reached the mountains; and an entry made the second day after their arrival on the scene of their intended exploits, showed that already "things looked blue." On the third day the juvenile robbers found it nec Essay to pawn their solitary pistol; and the only act of highway robbery they succeeded in committing was the theft of some food left on the highway by several workmen. It was for this that they wenprosecuted, But the magistrate let them o(T with a reprimand ; and the police. wij;h goodnatured contempt, raised a subscription fnr the purpose of paying their expenses back to New York. • ' - ■ .