Evening journal., 1906-10-22
LAD GUILTY
OF MURDER
N Year. Old Kills His Seven
Iear-0ld Companion
With Gun

ELDORA, Iowa, Oct. 22.--Oscar Ma
pier, the only child in the United States
ever convicted of murder in the first
degree, has begun to serve his sentence,
or rather cancel his demerits in the
Iowa Industrial School for Boys at this
place. with the black charge Of muir
der against him.
The nine -year-old boy. who will be
dressed simply in the neat suit of gray
clothes, and viii march and work and
play on the wide grounds Of the indus
trial school, with three hundred other
boys, some, Of them inmates simply be-
cause they are orphans, some because
they are incorrigible. while others be-
cause they are simply born bad, Will
have the most demerits ever given a
boy at the Eldora school, and will be
the only one with murder charged op-
posite his name on the books.
Sat On sheriff's Lap.
Oscar Napier was tried in the Mon
roe county court, and sentenced, or
more properly. committed to the re-
formatory by Judge Eichelberger, for
the murder of his seven-year- old play
mate. When he arrived in Eldora he
was dressed in a neat boys suit. and
was met at the train by the superin-
tendent, and sitting on the lap Of the
sheriff of Monroe county. was driven
10 the school. Then he was taken to
the tailor shop and measured for
boys suit. Until then he will wear the
clothes which his mother bought new
for him before the trial.
on the records Of the school appears
the name.
This 5000 entry refers to the num-
Der Of demerits which Oscar will have
TO cancel before he can hope to secure
a parole He will really not be free
until he is p years Of age but If he
cancels his demerits he may be pa
rolled. He viii cancel 10 every day if
he Is perfect and does not have to be
lreprimanded or punished for small Of
fenses about the school. Oscar Ma
pier may cancel his demerits in a lit
tie more than two years but he viii be
under the absolute control of the school
until he is 21.
The 5000 demerits which he has to
cancel is the first time a boy has been
given so many demerits.
Shot Frank Adams.
The boy was convicted Of shooting
Frank Adams on the testimony of two
children, though he has always claimed
the shooting was accidental. But the
dying words Of the murdered boy and
the testimony Of a little girl who was
the only witness to the tragedy, seal
cd the doom Of the little boy.
'Ill shoot you down like a rabbit,
you dirty F'renchman!"
/ These are the words which the wit
ness claims Oscar Napier lisped when
he drew the gun and shot his play
mate on the tenth day of last Decem-
Der. Little Bessie Iennie, herself only
seven years Of age. claims she heard
them. And over these words lawyers
have waged one Of the fiercest legal
battles ever known in Iowa
The state has prosecuted the little
I boy with the same bitterness which
would have characterized the prosecu-
tion OF a depraved man. charged with
4 a hideous murder, and who, if convict
ed would give his life in atonement.
Brought to Abba.
The Napier boy was indicted and
brought to Abba. then was allowed to
lreturn home on bond. The case was
tried with J. T. Clarkson attorney for
the prosecution and d. w. Bates for
the defense.
To look at little Oscar one would
not dream that he is convicted Of one
Of the blackest crimes in the calendar
OF sin. He is a slender little fellow
with frank, open countenance. rather
lprepossessing than otherwise He has
a little freckled nose which is inclined
to turn up and a pair OF candid gray
eyes. Altogether he is not the sort
Of little boy you would suspect Of do
ing anything worse than stealing jams
from his mother's pantry