Unbelievable Stories (Various)

This post will reflect on some of the craziest sounding stories, but I can assure you, they did happen. Some are quite disturbing while others are just downright cruel. It just goes to show you that there was a lot of injustice going on then, just as there is today. It also shows you that both violent and non-violent boys were thrown together which often led to one thing, the callousing and desensitizing of the kinder and often times, weaker boys. The newspapers of the times used to remark that if you weren't a criminal going into Preston, you certainly would be upon your release. Such a sad thought, isn't it?



BOY SENT TO PRESTON FOR STEALING FLOWERS!

According to the Sacramento Daily Union (March 18, 1895), a boy by the name of William "Billy" Banning was sentenced to 8 years confinement at the Preston School of Industry for stealing Camellias out of a lady's yard! Yes, you read that right. Because he picked some flowers out of the garden of Miss Hurd of P Street (Sacramento) he was sentenced by Judge Davis to spend 8 years at Preston.---- Unbelievable, right? Believe it!!


HATCHET WIELDING WARD ATTACKS ATTENDANT

According to the San Francisco Call dated July 27, 1909, a Native-American ward, Albert Journey attacked one of the Preston School of Industry's Supervising Attendants, J. Strawn with a hatchet while working in the kitchen. Although Strawn was banged up, he was able to ward off the blows in order to avoid serious injuries. Journey was subdued by the other wards who witnessed the attack until help arrived.




WARD STEALS GUN FROM BAKERY!! ATTEMPTS TO SHOOT DRILLMASTER DURING ESCAPE


According to the Amador Ledger dated March 11, 1910, Captain William H. White, who was drillmaster and held the rank of Major, narrowly missed being fatally shot by ward Eugene Griffin, when he and his accomplice, fellow ward Albert Brown attempted their escape at Preston. Griffin had stolen a revolver from the bakery shop and after being chased by White, he fired behind him barely missing White. Brown and Griffin were later caught and the newspaper states that the school had no intentions on keeping them so it was more than likely they were sent to the State Prison for the remaining term of their sentences, and any other time added for their attempted escape.




FIGHT AT FOOTBALL GAME LEADS TO DEATH OF WARD

In December of 1924, after a fight between wards Edgar Hough and Leland Price started during a Saturday night football game at the Preston School of Industry, the boys were thrown in the basement as a punishment, where the fight again resumed. Somewhere in the tussle, Price was knocked down or slipped, and his head cracked the concrete floor, fracturing his skull. He slipped into a coma and died the next morning.

For more history on the Preston School of Industry, please keep reading my blog! 

(© Copyright 2012-2015, J’aime Rubio, Originally published either on blog “Dreaming Casually” by J’aime Rubio, on my Facebook Page or in the book “Behind The Walls- A Historical Exposé of The Preston School of Industry” by author, J’aime Rubio.)

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