Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-07-31
Jesse Pomeroy. the Boy Murderer.

Blessedness."
Jesse POmerOy, the Boy Murderer.
Boston Correspondence Of New York Herald
The facts of the two murders COM
mitted by this boy are only too well
known. For months an immense pres
sure has been brought to bear on the
Governor and members of the Council,
by parties in favor of melting out to
Pomeroy the full extent of the law. E..
hanging instead of commutation OF SEN
tence to imprisonment for life. Delega-
ton after delegation of ladies (mothers in
nearly all cases. have waited upon men,
bers of the Council at their homes, offices,
on the street, at the hotels while dining,
and even in stores when making neces-
sary purchases have they been besieged
by ladies, as soon as recognized rs men,
bers of the Governors Council, to cast
their vote in favor of hanging whenever
his case should GENE before the Council
for final disposition. Hearings to the
public have been given at the State
House before the Governor and Council
on the question of Communication of sem
tence, and most able arguments have
been made on both sides. and Yesterday
the decision was made. In view of this
/ am committing no breach of confidence
when | write you of certain facts con-
nected with this case. Jesse Pomeroy Is
a moral monstrosity. He murdered two
small children for no cause whatever.
He did not rob them of even Il pin; he
had no quarrel with them, whereby his
passions might have been excited; he
suffered no revcngeful feelings toward
the parents of his victims. The children
and their families were perfect strangers
to him. No cause for these murders Is
known.
THE CONFESSION.
He was visited at the Jail, where he
has been confined since his conviction,
by members of the Council, who con-
versed with him upon the subject of his
crimes. They found him to be an unu-
sually bright and intelligent lad his an
swers were given with promptness and
decision; there was no waycring or hesl-
tation in them, but right to the point.
When asked how many murders he had
committed, his quick reply was, Two,
sirw He was asked why he killed the
little boy, and replied that che did not
know" He said that che was standing
with others looking at the working of Il
frc.enginc, when he noticed pretty
looking little boy standing near. He
suddenly asked the little fellow if he
wouldn't take walk with him, and upon
consenting he was led across marshes a
distance of at least mile, when sud
denly he felt huttering in his head and
mechanically he took his pocket-knife
from his pocket, rapidly opened it. and
stabbed. stabbed, stabbed it into his
little victim, having no consciousness of
what he was doing at the time, and never
that day fully realizing what he had
done. That in all the time he was walk
ing with the boy he did not have it i'll
his mind to injure him, his only notion
in having him with him was for compan-
ionship, and it WAS only when suddenly
seized with this uncomfortable impulse
that he did the deed, and it all occurred
within minute. The boy was pretty
child, and that was what attracted him
toward him"
THE MURDER OF THE LITTLE GIRL.
When asked about the circumstances
of his killing the little girl in South Bos-
ton, he said that "that morning his
mother and brothcr were away or en-
gagged, and he was obliged to attend the
periodical store. He sat reading awhile,
when a pretty little girl, whom he had
never seen before, came in and asked for
some papers. As soon rs she spoke, this
terrible feeling all through him, with the
huttering in his head, came over him,
and he replied, They're down in the
cellar" Unsuspectingly she opened
the door and passed down the stairs,
Pomeroy Immediately following, draw
ing his knife as he went. As soon AS the
bottom was reached he placed his left
hand over her mouth, drew her head
back toward his shoulder, and, with the
knife in his right hand cut her throat,
and she was dead in 4 minute. Not
three minutes had elapsed from the time
he first laid eyes on the little girl before
she was dead
ANOTHER OF PoMEROY'S ATROCITIES.
At one OF the hearings before the
Council there were present with their
parents several of the little victims of his
previous atrocities Their recital OF the
Injuries and tortures inflicted upon them
by Jesse Pomeroy were startling. He
met one little boy, when there was snow
on the ground and the thermometer
near zero, standing looking into win
dow. He told him story of a man
wanting a bundle carried a short distance,
and as he had sled with him he would
give the boy quarter if he would assist
him. Consent being given, he led this
boy away some two miles to shed, en-
tered and made the boy strip to the skin,
tied him up, took out his knife, stuck it
into each cheek, drawing it away, look
ing at the point to see the blood, then
caused the little fellow to don his cloth
ing, placed him on his sled and drew
him to the boys own door and left him.
Another boy he enticed into boat
house, climbed with him into boat,
made him strip, and then tortured him
for an hour or more by sticking pins into
his flesh to the depth of from quarter
to half an inch, and this hundreds of
times, threatening to kill his victim upon
the least outcry, finally releasing him
and seeing him safely home.
One thing is inexplicable-hOw did he
dare to return with his little victims to
their very doors, unless it was, as he
says, that he didn't know what he was
doing"
DOesticks."
The Boston Globe. speaking of the late