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Story
October 11, 1905
The New Haven Union
New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut
What is this article about?
11-year-old Thomas Mullin, son of a baker, is acquitted of stealing a mince pie in court by Judge Ullman, despite his history of kleptomania and prior thefts that led to reform school in Meriden.
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Full Text
MULLIN GETS FREEDOM
Proves He Didn't Steal Mince Pie From Howard Avenue Window.
Thomas Mullin, of 39 Liberty street, thin and sorrowful, son of an honest baker, was given his freedom in the criminal Common Pleas court by Judge Ullman this forenoon after which the court adjourned. Mullin was represented by Attorney Wynne, and was so awed by the court that he could scarcely speak above a whisper. Mullin is 11 years old, was reared in Manchester, and prior to his arrest was a veritable kleptomaniac, causing the police no end of worry. One day he saw a candy wagon and helped himself. Then someone in Howard avenue stole a mince pie that was cooling in the window of a railroad man's house. While Mullin is inordinately fond of pie he says he did not appropriate it.
'Anyhow even if he had,' said Attorney Wynne, 'it would have been a shame to convict any New England boy for stealing a mince pie. The young heart longs for mince pie.'
It was demonstrated Mullin had nothing to do with the pie.
Later the boy entered Morris Lyken's store at 54 York street, and when the proprietor wasn't looking, stole 26 cents and a button from the till. Then he sprinted and was handily caught by that terror of all evil doers, Constable Woolf Levi, but not before a crowd of people had threatened to lynch him.
So it came that they put Mullin away in the Reform school at Meriden. His parents had the case appealed, but not furnishing a bond the lad was compelled to remain in the reformatory.
'I wuz bad there only once,' he said. 'That wuz when I tried to 'scape. We wuz all outside an' when it cum time t' go in I slipped down a bank, and they see me, and I got a lickin' with a big stick.'
Proves He Didn't Steal Mince Pie From Howard Avenue Window.
Thomas Mullin, of 39 Liberty street, thin and sorrowful, son of an honest baker, was given his freedom in the criminal Common Pleas court by Judge Ullman this forenoon after which the court adjourned. Mullin was represented by Attorney Wynne, and was so awed by the court that he could scarcely speak above a whisper. Mullin is 11 years old, was reared in Manchester, and prior to his arrest was a veritable kleptomaniac, causing the police no end of worry. One day he saw a candy wagon and helped himself. Then someone in Howard avenue stole a mince pie that was cooling in the window of a railroad man's house. While Mullin is inordinately fond of pie he says he did not appropriate it.
'Anyhow even if he had,' said Attorney Wynne, 'it would have been a shame to convict any New England boy for stealing a mince pie. The young heart longs for mince pie.'
It was demonstrated Mullin had nothing to do with the pie.
Later the boy entered Morris Lyken's store at 54 York street, and when the proprietor wasn't looking, stole 26 cents and a button from the till. Then he sprinted and was handily caught by that terror of all evil doers, Constable Woolf Levi, but not before a crowd of people had threatened to lynch him.
So it came that they put Mullin away in the Reform school at Meriden. His parents had the case appealed, but not furnishing a bond the lad was compelled to remain in the reformatory.
'I wuz bad there only once,' he said. 'That wuz when I tried to 'scape. We wuz all outside an' when it cum time t' go in I slipped down a bank, and they see me, and I got a lickin' with a big stick.'
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
Biography
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Justice
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Kleptomania
Mince Pie Theft
Boy Thief
Reform School
Court Freedom
What entities or persons were involved?
Thomas Mullin
Judge Ullman
Attorney Wynne
Constable Woolf Levi
Morris Lyken
Where did it happen?
39 Liberty Street, Howard Avenue, 54 York Street, Meriden
Story Details
Key Persons
Thomas Mullin
Judge Ullman
Attorney Wynne
Constable Woolf Levi
Morris Lyken
Location
39 Liberty Street, Howard Avenue, 54 York Street, Meriden
Event Date
This Forenoon
Story Details
Thomas Mullin, 11-year-old kleptomaniac from Manchester, is freed by Judge Ullman after proving he did not steal a mince pie from a Howard Avenue window, despite prior thefts including from a candy wagon and Morris Lyken's store, leading to his placement in Meriden Reform school after capture by Constable Woolf Levi.