St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-22
A BABY LIFE CONVICT.
Little Linnville Combs to Pass His
Existence Behind the Bars.

Little Linnville Combs to Pass His
Existence Behind the Bars.
Frankfort (Ky.) Special.
Ihe most youthful white criminal ever
confined within the penitentiary was
Drought 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 him a prisoner. re-
marked In almost one breath: my God,
you're testing, aren't you? That's
paDy, and this is no baby farm"
IT Inc boys name is Linnville Combs.
ne was eleven years old last March,
weighs seventy pounds and is a little
Inward on tour feet in height. He MUIR
was sent up for life.
Today the little fellow was called
from ms work to tell all he knew of
himself, and he entered the celI-house
with his dark-brown eyes opened wide
in aStonishmept that any one here conld
have any business with him. He was
asked his name, and replied: "Linnville
Combs, of Breathitt county," Sitting
IN chair, tWirling his straw hat in his
hands, pushing back and falling for
ward, and with his feet barely touching
the ground, he looked so innocent it
was nard to believe he had but three
nontns ago committed the most afro
clous cline of sOrOricide. The family
i've about twenty miles from Jackson.
on branch appropriately named
troublesome. He said his mothers
name was Dee-inkS Combs, and that his
father'S name was Barlow Stacey. while
his mother lived with Samps Collins.
In his mothers home there were four
children besides himself. the Youngest
being Mamie Belle Combs. an infant
not quite three years of age. Said Linn
viile, when asked why he killed her:
wen, SampS Collins told me he'd give
me pair OF boots and suspenders if I'd
Said the querist: Tell how you
did it.'
She was just walking along the floor
and l hit her in the head with a skillet.
She fell over into the fire, but she was
dead already. l pulled her out of the
hre and threw her into the creek" In
that artless way he related the horrible
deed and said that within half hour
Jennie Campbell, girl related to him,
saw the body floating on the water, and
that ne 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 1t husned up by the family, ex-
ceptlng ON the part of the little boy
himself, who was quite proud of his
deed as well as ignorant of it conse-
quences. In about a month he was az
rested and taken to Jackson, where he
frankly related the story to the court
ana jury. Collins was arrested and put
on trial, but subsequently released be-
cause there was nAproof of his inStiga-
tlon OF the crime, except the statement
OF child-an infant, in. law, whose
oath and testimony could not be &C
cepted by the court. -Linnville, how
ever. was sentenced to the penitentiary
for llfe-a blushing shame upon Ken
lucky for not providing a more suitable
mouse OF reformation for such Juvenile
offenders. The boy, or baby convict,
says he never went to school. but at
tended once or twice Sunday school.
When asked if he didn't know he
would be punished for his crime. he
said: whats that?' 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''
Did you ever hear about the Lord at
Sunday school, Linville?"
him."
He is, withal his blind illiteracy. a
very intelligentlooking, bright-eyed
child, who, under system of mental
and moral training, would doubt
less III the course of years, de-
velop into a useful citizen,
regretting and repeGting the
crime that makes the 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
regularly 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 per-
form labor Of any kind. This is one
case In many to emphasize the need of
more money for home and less for
foreign missions.