The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-28
ELEVEN, AND IMPRISONED FOR
LIFE
Ia*tle Combs, the Kentucky Lad Who
Killed His Three Year-Old Sister.

ON2SO1s
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
FRANKFORT, KY, July 1S.-The most
youthful white criminal ever confined with
n the penitentiary was brought here yes
tardav. He was SO childish i'll appearance
that the officials of the penitentiary, when
informed by the sheriff of Breathitt county
that he had come to leave them prisoner,
remarked almost in unison:
"My God! you're jesting, are you not2
That Is baby, and this is no baby farmF
The boys name is Linnville Combs. He
vas II years old last March weighs seven
Nv pounds, and is little upward of four
feet in height. He murdered a sister 3
wears old, and was sent up for life. To-day
fhe little fellow was called from his work to
fell all he knew of himself, and he entered
the cell house with his dark eyes opened
wide in astonishment that any one here
could have any business with him. He
was asked his name and replied: Linn
Vile Combs of Breathitt county"
Sitting on chair, twirling straw hat
in his hands, pushing backward and for
ward, and with his feet barely touching
the ground, he looked SO innocent it was
hard to believe he had but three months ago
committed the crime of sororicide. The
family live about twenty miles from Jack
son. 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 were four children besides him
self, the youngest being Mamie Belle
Combs, an infant not quite years of age.
Said Linville, when asked why he killed
her: "Well, Samps Collins told me he'd
give me pair of 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 al
ready. | pulled her out of the fire and
threw her into the creek"
In that artless way he related the horri-
BILE deed, and said that within half hour
Jennie Campbell, a girl related him, saw
the body floating on the water, and that he
ran out and told her he had killed Mamie
Belle himself. He then waded into the
creek and drew the body ashore. 1t was
buried, and all 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 well as ignorant of its conse-
quences. In about month he was arrested
and taken to Jackson, where he frankly re-
lated the story to the court and jury. Col
Inns was arrested and put on trial. but sub
sequenty released because there was no
proof Of his lnstigation of the crime, ex-
CtpJluB Ollo SOdUo1llCI4O VI u SlllOl-du l4lldub
in law, whose oath and testimony could not
be accepted by the court. Linnville, how
ever, was sentenced to the penitentiary for
life
The boy-or baby convict-says he never
went to school, but attended once or twice a
Sunday school.
When asked if he didn't know he would
be punished for his crime, he said
whats thatG'
He was then asked if he didn't know he
did wrong in killing his sister, and ought to
be hanged for it,
He replied: mo. just killed her. Samps
Collins told me to do it.n
did you ever hear about the Lord at
Sunday school, Linnville!'
mo, / don't know nothing bout him."
He is, with all his blind illiteracy, a very
intelligent looking, bright-eyed child, who,
under a system of mental and moral train
ing, would doubtless in the course of years
develop into a useful citizen, regretting and
reprehending the crime that makes a life
convict 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
dropped for the present, and the boy regu-
larly entered and domiciled within the
walls He was set at work Gaming chairs,
and seems as quiet and cheerful as boys of
his age usually are when compelled
against their wishes to perform labor of any
kind