The New York herald., 1879-12-01
CHARGED WITH A PLAYMATE'S
DEATH

A YINE-YEAR-oLD BOY ACCUSED OF KILLING A
COMPANION by THROWING HIM DOWN A
STEEP FLIGHT OF STEPS
Little Eugene Leonhardt, aged nine years. was ar
rested yesterday by order of Croker aud de-
tanned prisoner in the Eighteenth precinct
tion house. pending the action of the Coroner's
inquest. The boy is charged with throwing play
mate named Solomon Cohn. down the steps of
cellar and fracturing his skull The latter, who was
but years of age. died from his injuries last
Friday. The story as told by the prisoner and
other eye-witnesses Of the occurrence leaves
it open question whether the deceased
child was showed down the steps or slipped
and accidentally fell. 1t is certain however, that
crowd of boys were congregated In the yard of No.
267 A. where the prisoner resided in the rear
house. with his parents. In the height Of their
gambols slipper was thrown from window of the
house at them. 1t was Immediately seized upon
a element Of fun. the boys hurting it at each
other and fighting for it's possession. When at last
the slipper happened to be thrown into the cellar in
the rear of the front house the boys hcsitated to
descend after it. At this point it is alleged
that the youth. Eugene Leouhardt urged deceased to
regain possession OF tho slipper but the latter
fused to do So. Two young girls. named Jeannette
Hufner and Mary Schmidt, were stationed at a
window OF the house. and they affirm that when
deceased refused to so after the slipper the prisoner
showed him down the steps with such violence that
the little fellow fell forward and struck on hs head
the flags below. This version of tho story is
denied by Leonhardt He claims that it was raining
at the time and that the steps were slippery. When
deceased attempted to pick his steps the cellar
he slipped and fell to til. ground.
LEoNHARDT's STORY.
When the boy L.onhardt was informed yesterday
that he going to be arrested he concealed him.
self in room, and 1t was only by physical force
that his mother could induce him to come forward
and state what he knew about the case. He said III
a sulky way that 'he didn't do nothing" When
informed that his little playmate dead he said
he was sorry. but he couldn't help it. He sure
When the latter tumbled down Eugene picked him
up. Blood was flowing from deep cash in Solo
mons temple. Engcne tried to stanch the blood.
Failing III this he placed the lad under tbs pump
and pumped stream of water the head of the
injured child This treatment did not prove eff
cacious, and the girls, who watching at
the window. into the yard and took
charge of tho wounded boy. Eugene then
away and told his mother that his friend Solomon
had fallen down ana cut his head. ''When told
my mother what happened to little Solomon, said
Eugene "shc got the clothes line and tied il about
my neck. She knotted it tight that she nearly
choked mo- kept hollerng all the time but the
more holered the tighter she squeezed my neck.
She said she was going to hang and was fright
ened to DEATH When she let 20 told her that was
not to blame; that little Solomon had fallen down
and cut himself"
The reporter questioned Mrs. Leonhardt the
subject and she fully corroborated all her had
said The parents OF the deceased boy reside at No.
25l avenue A. from which place the funeral took
place yesterday afternoon. The autopsy showed
that death due to meningitis. following frac-
turo of the skull.