The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-24
THE BOY MURDERER.

r
were shpcked by the news that in their very
midst there had been found mere child who
nad, at The early age of thirteen, developed
into most brutal murderer Several chill
dren had disappeared in q most mysterious
manner and the evidence seemed to indicate
beyond doubt that young Jesse Pomeroy
was tho murderer of the innocents The
press of Boston and all the larger cities of the
East, NJ nth and West, published at length all
the particulars of the tragedies as
DEVELOPED by the inquest, and at
the subkeouent trial of the boy, and COM
mented largely thereon. The almost inhu-
man atrdcity of the boy was matter of great
wonder, land his plea of insanity, offered at
the triad, seemed to be considered as we'll
founded for indeed it seemed most strange
that bdy of thirteen could, If he were sane,
commit such cold blooded acts, and then
have the bold effrontery to confess his crimes
with thf nonchalence which characterized
young Pbmeroy throughout the trial
The cd se was at last brought before jury
for their verdict, and after consideration of
all the fatts an unqualified verdict of guilty
was reno ered
Effortj have been strenuously made to in
duce hepardon of the boy on account of his
extreme youth and apparent insanity: Fail
ing in ti|is, the attempt has been made to
obtain denomination of the sentence to i'm
prisonmtnt for life, and hopes are even now
entertained by his friends that they will sue
coed in this. And now, at this late hour,
the youhg criminal comes out with q full
autobiography Of his life, detailing all the
promineh t incidents which have occurred to
him in Ills short career
Il By faI the most prominent and important
portion bf his work is that referring to the
murders for which he has been tried and
convicted. He argues the case very lucidly,
and end avors to show wherein the testimony
on which he was convicted was at fault, and
amoreovdr to prove that he must have been in
nocent, for he was nowhere near the scenes of
the murders In other words, he attempts
under atguise to prove an alibi
He admits having made the confessions
adiuced at the trial, but says that they were
wrung from him by the persistent persua-
sion and annoyance of the court officers and
finally, that finding that his mother and
brother! were arrested as accomplices, he,
thinking to save them, confessed that he, and
he alonp, was the murderer.
The evident ability which characterizes this
autobiography leaves great doubt in the minds
of those who read it as to its authorship. 1t
is rather too able an article to have been con-
ceived aod written by boy of thirteen years
of age. One paper very aptly says that it is
the strongest argument that has been brought
to bear against either his insanity or his inno-
cence. , If he is so far advanced, and SO cool
headedand calculating as to write such an
article, The is far too smart and cunning to be
the guiEeless youth that his friends would have
the public believe.
Ther4 is, however, possibility that he may
be right, and that taking advantage of his ex-
treme youth, and consequent temerity, the
Off GERS frightened him into a confession,
which afterwards told so heavily against him.
The subject is one of great importance and
deserves careful and discriminating investi-
gation.s The bare possibility that the boy
may bel innocent should induce the effort to
verify or prove untrue his statements con-
tanned In this wonderful autobiography.