Seventeen Years in the Underworld

"Seventeen Years in the Underworld" by Wellington Scott is a true story from the early 1900s about one man's wild ride through the criminal world and his climb back to a better life. The story kicks off with the author remembering his childhood, where, even though he had a good family, he felt alone because of money problems and trouble with his eyes. He ends up finding friends in a pool hall, but that's also where he gets hooked on gambling and stealing. The story follows his journey deeper and deeper into crime, the tough times he faces in reform schools and prisons, and eventually, his path to becoming a changed person, questioning what causes crime and what really helps people get back on their feet.