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Show "LITTLE IMMORALITY" IS UP IN THE POLICE COURT Those who had been in the Police court as spectators before, were not roused from the lethargy Into which they had fallen, lulled by the droning sounds from the street below and by the warm spring breeses that floated In through the open windows, when the name was called Tuesday afternoon. They expected that, as is the case nearly always, the woman charged with the offense would not be present, that the $10 posted as ball money with the desk sergeant would be declared forfeited, and that the city would be enriched by that amount. In this case, however, it was different. differ-ent. When Clerk Leary called the name of Carrie Webb, the spectators were surprised to see a girl, who said that he age was 19 years, but who looked as if she had not passed her seventeenth birthday, rise from the prisoners' b'ench. Judge Whittaker, who presided for Judge Diehl, looked upon the slender form of the girl with amuement ln his eyes, and the spectators craned their necks In curiosity. ' "Is Carrie Webb your true name?" asked Clerk Leary. "Yes, sir," said the girl, as she cast her eyes upon the noon unable to stand the gaze of 150 pairs of eyes. "What is the charge against this girl?" asked Judge Whittaker. He was told that the charge preferred against her was that of Immorality. She had been arrested Monday night by Patrolmen Taylor and i. D. Brown, who had been detailed to stamp out the immorality that Is said to prevail among many young girls, who haunt the streets at all hours of the night. "How old are you?" asked the Judge. "I am 19 years old," she said, as the f.ufch of shame mounted to her cheek. "It seems Impossible to me," said Judge Whittaker, "that you are 19 years .old. You do not look to be more than 16 years old. The place for you, ln my opinion, is the reform school, rather rath-er than the city Jail." "Yes, sir, I am 19 years old." the girl repeated. "I very much doubt that that Is your true age. I do not want to do anything that will deprive you of any of your rights, and I will continue your case until later, so that an Investigation may be had, and your true age may be learned." 1 She was sent back to the women's ward of the city Jail, in default of $50 bail, until the court may determine what shall be done with her. Carrie Webb comes of good family. She Is what might be termed a good looking girl. Her slender form was neatly, but plainly clad, her waving brown hair was tidily and artistically dressed, and her cheeks wore the rose petals of youth. She looked the picture of Innocent girlhood, but she glibly pleaded guilty to the charge of immorality. im-morality. One of the patrolmen who arrested the girl said, at the conclusion of the case: "It Is against our principles as men, to bring children like that Into the Police Po-lice court, or to throw them Into Jail. We have to see girls of not more than 15 years old dragged down to the depths of sin, in our streets. It Is caused by lack of proper home influence, influ-ence, and lack of proper protection fiom temptation to walk the streets. "Parents are too careless of what their daughters, and their sons, too, do when away from their homes at night. It is high time for parents to begin to inquire where their girls and boys go at nlcht. If parents do not care, they should burn with shame. If they are thouKhtless. and do not reullze what temptations there are In the streets for their boys and girls, they are asleep, and should be awakened. If they do not awaken soon, some of them will be rudely disturbed ln their dreams by finding their girls in brothels and their toys In prison. "It would keep two policemen busy all the time looking out for girls and keeping them off the streets at night. Parents are too lax with their children. They are too careless. It will be a bitter bit-ter awakening for many of them some of these days. "I frequently find cases where girls of not more than 16 years are out as late as 2 o'clock ln the mornins in questionable company. It Is a shame to arrest them ln every case, but It will have to be done If the practice of running run-ning the streets Is not storv-?." |