BOY BRIGANDS IN THE UNITED STATES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1629, 10 March 1884, Page 2

BOY BRIGANDS IN THE UNITED STATES.

A race of boy brigands is gradually being formed in the United States through the effect on the _ youthful imagination of melodramatic novels with burglars and highwaymen for their heroes. The miscreants brought into activity by the ten-cent tales of criminal life distinctively kuown as '' dime novels" are themselves known as "dime-novel brigands" and three members of this desperate class who were recently brought before the Police Magistrate of Haarlem were shown to have formed themselves into a band which after establishing itself in a mountaneous district was to carry off and hold to ransom beautiful maidens and wealthy tourists. Before making for the hills tho 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 consisted only of 36 keys, while they had begun business with a capital of 200 dol'! mule at. N T ow York." But most of this sum had been spent before they readied tin; mountains ; and an entry made the second day after their arrival on the scene of their exploits showed that already " things looked blue." On the third day the juvenile robbers found

it necessary 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 were prosecuted. But the magistrate let them off with a reprimand j and the police with good natured contempt raised a subscription for the purpose of paying their expenses back to New York,