The log cabin Democrat., 1907-08-01
HARRIS IS GIVEN SEVEN YEARS
Pleads Guilty to Assault Upon
 Girl.
Assajlant of Etolia Hawk Behind Peniten- tiary Walls Within Week After
 Commission of Crime.


 of Etolia Hawk, in a trial before the Faulkner circuit court last Friday, and was sentenced to serve seven years in the state penitenti- ary.
 The plea of guilty came as re- suit of a compromise between the prosecuting attorney and the pros- ecuting witnesses and the attorneys representing the defendant. liar ris was indicted by the grand jury for rape, but the defense claimed that proof could be brought to show the crime was not actually committed and also that the boy was ot unsound mind. The court and prosecuting attorney therefore consented to allow him to plead guilty to an assault with intent to rape, the punishment to be fixed by the court.
 After recounting the circum- stances, Judge Lankford took the matter under advisement and a few hours later had the defendant brought before him, when be was sentenced to seven years i'll the penitentiary. The court room was crowded with people and the weep ing mother and sister of the boy were present to hear the verdict. Harris was taken to Little Rock on the evening train and thus within one week after the Commls- sion of his crime, he was behind the bars of the state prison.
 Boys Mind Alleged Unsound.
 Harris family and their friends claim that the boys mind is un- sound. He is only IS years of age, but 1t is said that he has nev- CT been bright and was always of an ungovernable disposition.
 Lee Harris has two brothers, both of whose names are also on the criminal records of the county. Frank Harris has been indicted for murder in the first degree for the killing of R. E. White at Mt Yer non several years ago. He was never arrested on this charge, how ever, having eluded the officers, until he was caught near the scene of his first alleged crime a few months ago, on charge of burg lary and grand larceny. This of- fense was committed in White county, and Harris was last week convicted and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. The other brother, Henry, was indlct- ed for the same alleged murder and is still fugitive.
 May Go to Reform School.
 In sentencing Harris Friday, Judge Lankford told him that he would watch the case and possibly later recommend the prisoner s transfer to the reform school, though Harris indicated desire to serve out his sentence In the peuitentiary. It seems from the following article in the Little Rock Gazette that the penitentiary board has the same idea in view. How ever, the article is incorrect, as Harris sentence was not IS but 7 years. The article referred to fol- lows.
 A question has been raised among some of the penitentiary board and penitentiary officials as to whether the penitentiary is the proper place to have sept Lee Harris, the I5-year-o old boy, recently convicted in the Faulkner county circuit court of assault, and sentenced to IS years in the penitentiary. Some of the officials contend that his place is in the reform school, and that is the institution to which he should have been committed. Ar guing from a moral standpoint they claim that placing a boy of his age in the penitentiary where his associates can be none other than hardened criminals that he will come out of that institution a worse man than he is boy Ills present environment, they say, can have no other effect than tc make greater criminal ot him Should he complete his full term he will be 90 years of age when he is discharged, and will begin life without education and without trade. Had he been sent to me reform school he could have nae an opportunity to acquire some ca ucation which might result II making him a good citizen. o' argue those who are ln favor U placing him in the reform schooi Those who disagree with the mem ! uhn hold It