Today in Johnson City History, Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Juvenile delinquents, a basketball win for Science Hill and more

Thursday, January 8, 1925: A century ago today, according to the Johnson City Chronicle, “Discovery of the robbery of a shop of the Union Building and Supply Company, on Elm street (sic for Street), near the Southern freight depot, was made yesterday, and through the finding of a quantity of brass and machine parts in a junk shop, four young school boys who had sold the metal were traced, and confessed to breaking into the building and committing the theft. The boys were arrested and given a hearing before F. B. St. John, juvinille (sic for juvenile) judge, in which they entered a plea of guilty.

“The boys, ranging in age from 11 to 15 years, were given a conditional sentence of from one to three years in the reform school, the sentence being suspended pending good behaviour (sic for behavior), and they were released on their own recognizance. The action, said Judge St. John, was taken because of the extreme youth of some of the boys, two of them never having been connected with any offense before, though two, it is said, have served terms in the reform school.