Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-12-25
The Trial of Jesse POmerOy, the Boy
Butcher


PROBABLY there never was before
known juvenile criminal possessed of
such murderous and fiendish proclivities
as the one whose trial for one of his MUIR
ders has just been finished in the Su-
preme Court in this City
The story of his murders, including
that of little Kate Curran, and his va
rious atrocities, has already been told.
In the trial Tor the murder of the MILAN
boy, Just concluded, it appeared from
the evidence that on the 22d day of last
April the body of the victim, a boy scarce
ly four years old, was found in q piece of
marsh which lies north of the Old Col
ony Railroad and Dorchester avenue,
near the Crescent avenue station. The
body was still warm, and bore the marks
of some fifteen stabs. The throat was
cut and The hands of the child were
badly lacerated. The body was found
by twelve year-old boy named Powers,
who was out digging CLAIMS with a deaf
and dumb brother. Upon the discovery
of the body by the little boy
| Powers, he saw two men up
the marsh, and ran and told
them of what he had discovered. The
men were there for practice with a gun,
but Immediately took steps to notify the
to be that of the lad Horace II. MILAN,
who had resided but few months at his
home on Dorchester avenue. The last
the boys mother had seen of her child
was at ten O'clock on that day, when she
gave him penny to go to the bakers to
| get cake. AT half-past eleven he was
seen by other boys accompanied by the
Pomeroy boy. Subsequent to this, about
twelve O'Clock, they were seen by other
parties together, going toward McKay's
wharf, and thence by bridge to the
marsh At the creek they were met by
another boy who was coming away from
where some men were digging. CLAIMS.
The Pomeroy boy spoke to the last lad
and asked what the men were shooting
on the marsh and SO was recognized by
the latter. The Pomeroy boy was seen
to lift the MILAN lad over the creek, and
their racks, large and small. were after
ward traced, side by. side, to the spot
where the body was found, All these,
together with other strong circumstances
pointing TO his guilt, were brought out
at the trial.
The line of defense adopted at the trial
was insanity, and the points which were
1 proven were well stated by the counsel
in his opening argument. He said that
| when HTSJ ne LOOK CudTB6 Ol INC case he
had some doubts as to whether the pris
oner was the guilty party; but as time
wore on it had come to his mind that
such was the fact. Though he had
allowed the Government to proceed with
their case and put in such testimony as
had bearing upon the case, he had ad
mitted many things without holding the
Government to strict proof. This boy
was just now past his fifteenth year, an6
at the time of the crime was but fourteen
years and five months old. Had it beer
five months earlier it would have been I
question in law as to his responsibility
for between the years of seven and four
teen it is disputed point whether per
son can be responsible for crime. Th'
circumstances of the case were re
markable as had been the boys lif'
and character since BIRTH, Before
he was three. years old he wa
very sichlyRaud was not expected u
live for long time. AT five years old HI
I exhibited remarkable characteristics h
was discovered on one occasion inflictinI