The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-12-17
the BOSTON BOY MURDERER.

the BOSTON BOY MURDERER.
Found Guilty but Recommended
to Mercy-.The Evidence Which
Showed Something Of the Evil
Spirit Which Ruled the Boy--Is
it Insanity !--What is Insanity
The trial of the boy Pomeroy, whose
murders shocked the country a year
| ago, ended yesterday (the lOth) in
verdict of guilty of murder in the first
degree, with recommendation to mercy.
We copy from special telegram to the
Chicago Times an abstract of the evi.
dence given day before yesterday on
which the recommendation seems to be
based, but which to us suggests that
the use of insanity as an excuse for
crime is in this case as in many others,
suggestive of query as to what is in
sanity. If it is all that is claimed by
some, it is not disease but cause of
crime which needs eradication by any
means which desperate cases require.
The report says: Several witnesses
who had known young Pomeroy testi-
fed to his having spells When
child, his school-teacher said he was a
very peculiar boy, and often made
faces in school. When punished for it,
he said he couldn't helpit.
Mr.. Robinson, at this stage put into
the case the record of the court from
which the prisoner was sent to the re-
form school for maliciously and cruelty
inhicting assaults with knife and
committing other assaults with ropes
and sticks. This testimony was objec-
ted to by the government, but admit
ted by the court.
The complaint upon which the pris.
oncr was adjudged guilty and sentenced
was as follows: Sept. 5, 1872, assault
with knife on Henry Austin Sept. Ii,
1872, assault with knife on Jos. Ken
nedy Sept. II. assault with a knife on
Chas. A. Gould: Aug. II, 1872, assault
with knife on Geo. E. Pratt; July %,
1872, assault on John Balch, by tying
and beating with rope; Feb. q, 1872,
assault on Tracey B. Hayden, by tying
and beating with piece Of board. Up
on those several cases the record shows
that the justice before whom they were
brought deemed Pomeroy, who was then
IL years old, a suitable subject for COM
initial to the State reform school. and
he was committed accordingly.
The little boys thus maltreated were
put upon the stand, and gave the details
of his abuse of them by stripping them
beating them with ropes, straps, and
sticks, cutting them with knives. etc
The little Pratt boy told apitiful story
Of the assault, which consisted of beat
ing his naked limbs with a strap
, sticking pins in his face, limbs
, and private parts, biting, and
other methods Of torture. This as
sault was commute on board Of an ole
boat, hauled up at South Boston point
and in taking the boy into it, PoUeroy
told him he told him three lies, and he
was going to give him three lickings fol
q it.
The insane plea was further carried
suit by the testimony Of DR.. Tyler, o
E Northampton, who was called as an ex
pert by the defense, and testified tina,
, he had had charge Of insane person.
since 1853. Had visited Pomeroy on sew
eral times. The first was On the l6tl
of September, and the last on the 20tf
of October. Conversed with the boy
in regard to his life and the acts he hat
committed, the examination lastin,
each time about an hour. He was O
the opinion that when Pomeroy com
= mitted this homicide his mental condi
j ton was unsound. The extraordinary
circumstances Of the act and previous
: acts tended to show that none of the
). ordinary motives existed to Undue
crime. In his opinion the absence 0
any motive indicates insanity. In thi
case there is nothing to be draw
+, from the early sickness Of the chill.
tending to produce insanity. If tn
boy had cut the cat when four or fiv'
!, years Of age, and repeated the act il
:, after years; if the pains in the hea'
u caused involuntary contortions Of tn
face if he had wild look il he per
formed the other transactions alleged
: these facts may be taken together t
show disorder on the brain. OF the oh
servations made. the doctor said tn
convincing indications of unsound min
were the style and manner Of givin
the reasons for committing these crimes
n and the reasons themselves. Afte
y all the boy said there SCENE
r. to be an incompleteness
lie his statements, and his reasons wer
e not told till he had in each case said
e Il could not help doing it; had to.
e He had heard Of cases where peopl
r. persisted in washing unduly. and whe
IS asked why they did so they would Civ
N some simple reason, while it was ev
d dent that an uncomfortable impuls
ID urged them from within to do so. Th
he fact that Pomeroy asked his little VII
l. TINS to pray while he tortured then
5. the fact that he stared at blood on tn
he knife. could be taken az remarkab
10 proceedings, and supporting the generr
n theory Of insanity. The boys capac
Il ty he considered fair. The only tel
e. derness the boy ever exhibited wa
lie in speaking of his mother. Otherwi:
ID the crime did not seem to weigh upo
ID his mind. The boy said that SOM
:, times it seemed to him as if he kille
- ol,y1 ~or sr1 fho~, sua.r a s.iI nm