The Universal Boy in the Juvenile Reformer's primary photo
  • The Universal Boy in the Juvenile Reformer (1914)
  • Short | Short, Drama
Primary photo for The Universal Boy in the Juvenile Reformer
The Universal Boy in the Juvenile Reformer (1914)
Short | Short, Drama
The Universal Boy decides to adopt a dog and goes to the Bide-a-Wee Home for lost and strayed animals and there procures a handsome collie. Knowing his aunt's aversion to a dog, he keeps him in his bedroom and trains him to do all kinds of...See moreThe Universal Boy decides to adopt a dog and goes to the Bide-a-Wee Home for lost and strayed animals and there procures a handsome collie. Knowing his aunt's aversion to a dog, he keeps him in his bedroom and trains him to do all kinds of tricks. Some time later his aunt discovers the dog and orders it put out of the house. The dog intervenes in his own behalf by standing on its hind legs and pleading, one of the tricks Matty had taught him. Finally auntie decides to let Matty keep the dog. On the following day, while the dog is outside of its house, he is stolen by a tramp who sells the animal to an East Side saloon keeper in exchange for a drink of whiskey. The theft is witnessed by a little neighbor of Matty's who afterwards informs him of the loss of his dog. Heartbroken over the loss of his four-footed friend, Matty seeks the aid of the newly organized Juvenile Police Force. Arriving at the station house of said organization he tells the captain of his loss and gets a promise from him that everything possible will be done to bring back the dog. Matty admires the snappy appearance of the police force. He asks to join and the captain gives his consent, at the same time explaining the duties and functions of the juvenile police, viz.: to keep an eye on saloon keepers selling intoxicants to children, cigar stores selling cigarettes to boys, and cause their arrest, also to arrest all boys caught playing crap, gambling or smoking cigarettes. Later, Matty goes on his beat and discovers a boy of about sixteen smoking cigarettes. True to his duty, he arrests him and brings him before the captain of the police force for punishment. The usual penalty meted out to juvenile cigarette smokers according to the rules and regulations of the juvenile police force is to compel the offender to smoke an old pipe until it makes him sick. Accordingly, therefore, they subject the prisoner to this ordeal much to the amusement of the onlooker. Sometime later, while on duty on one of the side street of the lower East Side, Matty detects a little girl entering the side of a saloon with a beer can under her shawl. Matty follows and witnesses the illicit sale. He causes the arrest of the saloon keeper with the aid of a member of the regular police force. As Matty is leaving the saloon after the arrest he hears a familiar bark coming from behind the bar. He investigates and discovers his lost dog. There is a happy reunion. Matty takes his dog to the juvenile police station and makes his report of the arrest of the saloon keeper and then asks permission to have his dog made a police dog and his request is granted. While patrolling his beat one day, Matty peeks into a cellar window and sights a crowd of young boys playing crap, cards and smoking cigarettes. Not being able to cope with this tough crowd single-handed, he writes out a note for the captain of the juvenile force, explaining the situation and asking for aid. This he puts in the dog's mouth and orders him to bring it post-haste to the station-house. As a result a detachment of police boys are sent out to help Matty and after a terrible conflict the culprits are finally brought to the juvenile police court where they are about to be sentenced very heavily by the judge when Matty pleads for them, "Please let them go free, Your Honor, on the condition that they join the .Juvenile Police Force." Impressed by the boy's magnanimity of heart, he exercises his clemency along the course outlined by Matty and our story concludes with Matty drilling the squad of reformed crap shooters. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less
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Edit Released
Updated Sep 10, 1914
Release date
Sep 10, 1914 (United States)

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