Insisted Upon Going To Jail

New York, 1895

Pyles Accused Himself in Order to Spend Two Months in Prison.

John Pyles, a boy vagrant, was arraigned before Justice MacKenna at Whitestone on Friday by Police Captain Carll. The judge was about to impose the usual ten days' sentence when the lad objected.

"I'd like ter hev jes two months; no more en no less," he said.

Pyles then called the judge's attention to the fact that the last time he was in the village he had stolen $5 in money, a watch and chain, and other articles from Mrs. Charles McCall for whom he was working at that time.

He asked the court to send for Mrs. McCall and see if she would not make a charge against him. An officer was despatched to Mrs. McCall's house. She said it was true that Pyles had stolen the articles he named about a year ago, but she refused to make a charge against him.

When the judge heard this he said: "Well, Pyles, I charge you with the theft. Are you guilty or not guilty?"

"Guilty, yer Honor, guilty," shouted the lad.

"Sixty days in the county jail," said the judge. The lad left the court room with a smile of evident joy.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, N.Y., Jan. 11, 1895, p. 12.