The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-04
BOY MURDERERS.

The story that comes from London or
the two boys Robert and Nathaniel
Coombes. aged, respectively, thirteen ana
eleven years, who recently stabbed 10
death their moth er-we think We have
seen Il somewhere stated that II was
their step-mother, let us at least hope
IL was not their own mothcr-presents
one of the ghastlest cases Of youthful
depravity ever recorded.
The actual stabbing was done by the
elder boy, though the younger stood
watch during the preparation of the
hideous deed. Mrs. Coombes was beau
tful and amiable woman. and no cause
whatever is assigned for the act, except
the morbid condition OF utter wickedness
into which the boys had been brought
by reading sensational novels of the blood
and-thunder sort. When they were ar
rested they were playing cards in the
house. Indifferent to the sickening odor
which was caused by the decomposinB
body Of their dead mother. The jury,
in finding them guilty of wilful murder
added a rider TO their verdict urging
that the sale Of innammatory and shock
ing literature be stopped, on the ground
that it was answerable for many crimes.
There IS a prevalent idea that youth
excuses crime. 1t is true that until the
child reaches the age OF seven. and. per-
haps until ten and half. 1t is not pun
ishable for crime. but from certainly ten
and a half to fourteen. and perhaps
earlier, a child is as punishable for crime
as a grown person, If 81 shows
that II understands and is capable OF
mischief. Cases are reported where
boy of ten was actually hanged for kill
ing and hiding the body OF his compan-
ion; and in the seventeenth century
boy of eight was hanged for arson. be
cause it appeared at his trial that he had
malice, revenge. and cunning. Though
these are extreme cases, they illustrate
the truth that the test Of a child's re-
sponsibiity for crime is his apprehension
of the fact that ne has committed
crime.
Children should be laugh. from their
earliest infancy, not only 10 know what
is right, but to know that they VIII be
held accountable for doing wrong. II they
know the right. but refuse TO do it.
Much contempt has been thrown by the
aiders and abettors Of gambling and
other vices upon the efforts of societies
for the prevention OF vice. especially
upon Mr. Anthony Comstock's raids upon
the dealers In criminal and obscene liz
erature; but the murdered mother and
the verdict OF the London jury answers
all the sneers Of those who live by vice,
and whose crop of victims Is reaped from
the tender youth of the land.
Just turn all respect for law into con-
tempt: let the great and small see that
the officers OF law despise the very spirit
Of the law, and prefer that the hot-beds
OF vice and corruption shall be under
their own glass and II Will only be
question Of time-and Of short time-when
vice Will spread in pumberless forms.
the heart OF the people will become
corrupted. Crimes of violence to persons
will follow crimes against property, ana
the sickening smell of social putrefaction
will rise, as did the odor from the de-
composed body of the murdered mother.
while those In authority will give as little
heed to this corruption as did those
boys. who played cards regardless Of
stencil.
We do not expect those who sneer at
The Times for saying there should be
no partnership between the gamblers and
the Sunday liquor dealers and the officers
of the law TO see any moral III this
story