Teenage Boys Trashed The Place

Article in Erie Daily Dispatch, Sept. 15, 1870.

When teenage boys are out roaming the streets, they're bound to get into trouble. In the old days, if they couldn't pay the fine, they did the time. These five young men found that out the hard way after they trashed the place and were caught by the police. 

"Not having been furnished with complimentary tickets to Elwood's Minstrels, they asserted their displeasure by climbing to the top of the sky-light, or ventilator, and throwing down rubbish upon the audience below. The young scamps continued this exercise until the performance was over, when the police made a raid on them, capturing... John Murphy, John Devlin, John Coney, Charles Ross and Edward Langdon...

They were taken to the police station, and had their trial before Justice Foster...They were all fined two dollars each and costs, and John Coney, Charles Ross, and Edward Langdon, being recognized as frequent offenders, were sent up for ten days. In default of payment of fines they were all committed to jail....

Their ages ranged from twelve to sixteen." -Erie Daily Dispatch, September 15, 1870.

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