Evening journal., 1900-12-15
At Times lie Was Danger
GUS as Wild Animal
CUT HIS RLAYMATE'S THROAT
Alexander Stewart is Only Fourteen
Years Old and The Smallest Prisoner
Ever in Sing Sing

Sing Sing, N. Y. Dec 15.-Alexander
Stewart, the boy murderer. was re-
ceived at Sing Sing prison yesterday
afternoon. He was yesterday sentenced
in New York to 20 years imprisonment
for manslaughter in the first degree.
The boys victim was a playmate. Ed
ward Piesel, whose throat Stewart cut
while pretending TO shave him. The
young murderer heard his sentence
with a sneering smile upon his face.
In imposing the sentence Judge Furs-
man was moved to tears at the sight Of
the youth and obduracy OF the prisoner.
Stewart is the smallest prisoner ever
received here. The prison tailor had
to construct a special pair OF trousers
for the little fellow by cutting of the
ends of the smallest pair in the prison
shop, and then they were much too
large for him. His blouse is also many
sizes too big for him. New clothes
will be made for him IN a day or two
As the boy had been convicted OF
crime previously and had served time
In the house Of refuge and Tombs, he
was made to take his place among the
lower grade of conyicts and to take
the lockstep when they went 70 dinner
He Is so small that he could not put
his hand on the shoulder OF the next
smallest prisoner and had to rest Il on
the mans waist. Counting good time
allowances, the boy VIII have TO serve
l3 years and half.
Young Stewards record for vicious
ness and perverted nature dates back
10 his fifth birthday. He was hit on
the head at that time with a brick and
since then has been deficient In all
moral ideas. and at all times has been
as dangerous as a wild animal. He
had been ia various institutions be-
fore his father, in despair at his in
ability to control him, sent him to the
house Of refuge two years ago.
The boy tried to burn the house OF
refuge once and threatened to kill a
guard who reported him for an in
fraction OF the rules.
Edward Piesel, also an inmate OF the
house Of refuge, did not get on we'll
with Stewart, and one day the latter
suggested that they play barber. Max
Goldman, another inmate OF the refuge.
was present. and allowed Stewart TO
go through the play OF shaving him.
Then Piesel sat down in the chair and
held his head back as he had seen men
do. Stewart, standing behind him.
raised his hand with a sharp knife in
It and a fiendish look came into his
face. In second he drew the edge OF
the knife across the other boys throat.
seyering the windpipe. The victim
lived only a few days
When Stewards prison keeper heard
that Piesel was dying he said to Stew
art:
"Piesel is dying, Alexander. don't
you feel as though you ought to get
down on your knees and pray forhlm?"
No was the boys answer. Il don't
care II he does die"
Dr. Robert S. Newton, the alienist.
said Of the youthful degenerate HE
is deficient in all moral sense. but he
is not insane in the legal sense.
Something is radically wrong with
him. He has told me time and again
that he was ready TO take his punish
ment for murder"
Assistant District Attorney McIn-
tyre said that in handling 700 mur-
der cases he had never before found
such an incorrigible, depraved youth
He is a criminal by precocity," said
Mr. Mcintyre, 'and 1t is necessary for
the welfare Of society to put him
away for a long period"