Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-08-03
Eleven, and InDrlSOlGdf0FLh
Little LinnviIIe Combs, the Kentucky
Lad Who Killed His Three
Year-0Id Sister.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.

GhANhrOhDi IA = July 'D' HO
most youthful white criminal ever
confined within the penitentiary
was brought here yesterday. He
was so childish in appearance that
the officials of the penitentiary,
when informed by the Sheriff of
Breathitt county that he had come
to leave them a prisoner, remarked
almost in unison:
"My Cod you're jesting, are
you not 2 That in baby, and this
is no baby farm y
The boys name is Linnville
Combs. He was IL years old last
March, weighs seventy pounds, and
ia little upward OF 4 feet in height.
lie murdered a sister 3 years old,
and was sent up for lite. To-day
the little fellow was called from bis
work to tell all he knew of himself,
and he entered the cell house with
his dark eyes opened vide in as
ishment that any one here could
have any business with him. lie
was asked his name and replied !:
"LinnvilIe Combs, of Breathitt
county,
Sitting on a chair twirling a
straw hat in his hands, pushing
backward aud forward and with
his feet barely touching the ground,
looked 30 innocent it was hard to
believe he had but three months
ago committed the crime of soror'
eide. The family live about twen-
ty miles from Jackson, on a branch
appropriately named Troublesome.
He SAID his mothers name was
Dee. Kinks Combs, and that his
fathers name was Barlow Stacey,
while his mother lived with Samps
Collins. In his mothers home
there we're four children besides
himself, the youngest being Mamie
Belle Combs, an infant not quite
three years of age.
Said Linnville, when asked why
he killed her: swell, Samps Col
Inns told me he'd give me pair oil
boots and suspenders if I'd do it,"
"Tell how you did it,"
"She was just walking along the
floor, and | hit her on the head
with a skillet. She fell over into
the fire, but she was dead already,
| pulled her out Of the fire and
threw her into the creek"
In that artless way he related the
horrible deed, and said that within
a half. hour Jennie Campbell, girl
related to him, saw the body float
ing on the water, and that he ran
out and told her he had killed Nan
ME Belle himself. He then waded
into the creek and drew the body
ashore. It was buried, and oil talk
about it hushed up by the family
excepting on the part OF the little
boy himself, who was quite proud
OF the deed, as we'll as ignorant OF
its consequences. In about a
month he was arr ested and taken
to Jackson, where he frankly re-
lated the story to the Court and
Jury. Collins was arrested and
put on trial, but subsequently re.
leased because there was no proof
of his instigation If the crime, ex-
cepting the staten ent OF child
an infant in law, whose oath and
testimony could not be accepted by
the Court. Linnville, however,
was sentenced to the penitentiary
for life.
The boy-or ba by convlct-says
be never went to school, but at.
tended once or twice a Sunday
school.
When asked If he didn't know he
would be panIshe ed for his crime,
he said:
"What's that 1"
lie was then asked If he didn't
know he did wrong in killing his
sister, and ought to be hanged for
it.
He replied "No. | just killed
her. Samps Collins told me to do.
it,
"Did you ever hear about the
Lord at Sunday school, Llnnville 2"
"No, | don't know nothing bout
him.
Heis, with all his blind illlteracy,
very intolligent.lookiug bright
eyed child, who, under system OF
mental and moral training, would
doubtless IN the course of years
develop into a useful in the course
of years develop into q useful citi.
zen, regretting and reprehending
the crime that makes a life con-
vict of him. An appeal was made
in his behalf at the Executive office,
but as Gov. Buckner was absent
from the city, and Lieut.-Gov.
Bryan not yet installed and acting
in his stead, the matter was drop
ped for the present, and the boy
regularly entered and domiciled
within the walls. He was set at
work Gaming chairs, and seems as
quiet and cheerful ss boys of his
age usually are when compelled
against their wishes to perform
labor of any kind.