The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-09-14

SIS a solitary cell 81 Cherry Hill
the stronghold Of Charleston prison
where the life prisoners are confined.
Jesse Poneroy. The most notorious Of.
these life prisoners today entered un-
on his thirty six year If solitary con
fnement. When Jesse Uomeroy en-
tered the prison cell thirty-fve years
ago he was a youth of about sixteen
years he is now ffty-one and not
withstanding the rigor of his confne-
ment which was interrupted but for
a short period during the present
year, seems strong, healthy and vigor.
Gus physically as well as mentally.
During the latter part of 1871 and
the beginning Of 1872 a series OF bes-
tial and indescribabIe cruel crimes per
petrated upon little boys of tender
age created a perfect panic in South
Boston and Chelsea. In every one Of
the cases the little victim was entie-
ed to some lonely spot by a boy of
about twelve or fourteen years, strip
ped tied to a tree or board and then
numerically beaten and tortured by
him. 1t was many months before the
police obtained the first clue to the
perpetrator Of these crimes. Infor-
nation given by one of the young
erOy. the son of a poor but respecta-
Bile dressmaker.
Jesse PomeroY at first denied his
oY1i1k hit IS n 49,. 10 10 y 49, 0~Nfrlvk
ed with several of his victims and
down and confessed. He could not
explain his motive and repeatedly
asserted that he wa driven TO these,
fendiSh outrages by impulses which
he could not resist. He@waSe tried,
found guilty and, in consideration of
his youth sent to- the State reform
school. At that time degeneracy was
not so thoroughly understood as it is
now. Pomeroy was called a gener-
ate but it was considered more proper
to punish him than to treat him as, a
defective and send him to an asylum
where he could have been kept under
permanent control.
Pemeroy remained is the reform /
school seventeen months, always play
AA6 II AOOC1 tOOAS1 . A I1S dSI6u Lie
part so successful that he deceived
hi mother, several clergymenf and a
number OF charitable inclined women.
Between them they succeeded in pro-
curing Jesse Pomeroy's release with
out having him first examined by an
alienist. This. was in February, 1874 |
Scarcely one month later a little girl
named Katie Curran disappeared on
mo ~ EoE oahooI o%5 o14L1,,-L. !.
thorough search was made extending
over many months not a trace of her
could be found.
Later in the same year a clam-dig-
ger of South Bost 4, "A crossing the
marsh t3c1 &C as village,
South Be- II sous ii Horribly NUT
afterward ideHt.z g. Grace Miles.
The crime was evidently the work of a
degenerate and, remembering the re-
cc'-d of Jesse Pomeroy, the police ar
rested him and took him to the NOR
que where the body of the little boy
lay upon a stone slab The sight of
the mutilated corpse so unnerved
Pcneroy that he confessed his guilt
and also admitted that he had tor
turted and murdered little Katie
SulISu. I10I MUIldlGu anu uSCOIu-
posed body was found buried under
ashes and rubbih in the cellar of Mrs.
Pcmeroy's house.
The confession of these crimes
created the most intense feeling
among the people in South Boston and
Chelsea and Pomeroy would have been
lvnched had it not been fcT the pre-
cautions of the authorities. His trial
lasted only three days and only the
prisoners youth saved him from the
gallowS. He was sentenced tc spend
the remainder of his lyifa in solitary
confinement in Charleston prison,
During the first ten years of his i'm
prisonment Pomeroy made a number
of attempts to break out of Jail, but
they were frustrated by the watch
fulness CT his guards. A number of
sentimentaliSts induced the governor
in the spring of this year to allow Pom
eroy more freedom, but his privileges
were soon revoked when the discovery
was made that he had used his greater
freedom to plan hi escape and had
ever obtained possession Of a steel sa
aw
LITTLE FOLKS ENJOY BIRTHDAY
PARTY
A very enjoyable social affair among
the little folks was the birthday