St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-08
MISTAKEN PHILANTHRoPIsTs.

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Every one has heard of Jesse Pome-
roy, the boy who more than a decade
ago murdered several children by tortur-
ing them to death. His crimes caused
the whole world to stand aghaSt. They
were deliberate and fiendlSh, manifestly
the result of a perverted moral organiZa-
ton. He kept his victims bound for
days together, visiting them ever and
anon to puncture their flesh with
knives, to burn them with hot irons, to
gouge out their eyes and to fracture
their frail bones. He gIoated over their
sutferingS as the devil in hell is said to
gloat over the fortunes of the damned.
And after death had come to the relief
of the poor wretches. Pomeroy craftily
concealed their bodies and went in
search of new victims.
The lad was tried aud convicted. Only
his tender years saved him for the gall
lows. The seVerest, though inadequate,
punishment that the law allowed-im-
prisonment for life-waS imposed by the
court. Ever since that time he has been
in prison. He has grown to mans eS
tate, but none of his diabolical instiScts
seem to have deserted him. Several
times he endeavored to inflict torture
upon his fellow cOnvicts and his guards.
The sight of human suffering seemed in
dlSpensable to his complete happiness.
he was continually giving pain. Ordina-
~ discipline proving Intellectual to cure
his mania, several times he was severely
punished; half of his time was spent in
the SOLITARY" and at all times extra
surveillance was necessary to keep him
from attacking those about him. He
has seemed to have no moral respon-
sibility, no humane instincts. But dur
ing all the time of his Imprisonment he
has bsen the object of the greatest So
llcltude and the tenderest care from
bands of so-called philanthropists and
prison reformers. His cell has been con-
stantly supplied with flowers and fruits,
and delicacies, tracts and books, slippers
and comfortable wraps Old women
have prayed with him, and young wom-
en- have caressed him. while all have
wept together. And now the senti-
mentalists are circulating a petition for
his pardon, which is receiving many
signatures, and will shortly be presented
to the governor of Massachusetts.
If, during his imprisonment, Jesse
Pomeroy had given any evidence of re-
pentance, or had shown that he was
effectually cured of his mania for tor
ture and his thirst for blood, there
might be some excuse for solicitude on
his behalf. But he has shown no such
signs. On the contrary, his every act
has stamped him as the most depraved
OF human beings-a Veritable hyena, a
demoniac incorrigible, always on the
watch for an opportunity to seize upon
those around him and intlict upon them
the most exquisite torture of which his
mind can conceive. His greatest pleas
ure is in witnessing the agonieS of
others, and he VIII only be powerless to
intlict suffering after he shall have
ceased to exist.
1t is mistaken philanthropy to plead
for mercy TO such a wretch. 1t may be,
as some claim, that he is irresponsible.
II so, there is the more reason why he
should be restrained of his liberty. A
tigress is not morally responsible for
destroying human life when she has the
opportunity, but is this good reason why
the bars that enclose her cage should
be torn away and the beast of prey be
given liberty to prowl around our homes
and kill and mutilate our children?
Jesse Pomeroy possesses all the blood
thirStiness of the tigress, with more than
her cunning and more than her capacity
TO infict suffering. If he had had his
deserts he would have been strangled
Immediately after his first crime was
| discovered. 1t would have been but
| justice if, while in prison he attempted
| to torture his fellow oOnvicts, he had
| been slain outright. 1t would be a
gross abuse of Justice to turn him loose
again TO indulge his unnatural propen-
sites and renew his career of blood
shed. Philanthropists might be en-
| gagged in more praiseworthy work than
the endeavor to loose this demoniac
young man. If they should succeed in
their purpose. however, it is to be hoped
that they themselves will be the first to
sutfer-as some one must inevitably
sutfer-from his lust for blood and hui
man suffering.