The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-05-23
Recollections of a Long Life
By Col D. A. Dickert
No. 8. The Degenerate.
By Col, D. A. Dickert

upon the 1nnOncent LLLIe culluFeu
When the trial came on Pomeroy was
the least excited or interested OF any
one in the court room. He told of
his crimes, not in a barggadocio way,
neither in repentant manner, all as if
it were matter of fact. When he stood
self convicted the jurors, the judge
and the governor of the State were
in greater quandary than the fellow.
They could not hang boy only thir-
teen years old, nor did it seem just to
imprison so youthful criminal for life.
So it was compromised by placing him
in a reformatory until he reached his
majority which was six or seven
years.
In the reformatory he made mod
'el prisoner, obedient, willing and
non complaining. His work and his
studies he pursued without MUIR
mur, to his companions in crime he
was courteous and kind, but there
was ever'in his eyes a lurking cat like
expression.
After two years of imprisonment
and the good report of the warden,
petitions and memorials from old
maidens with fad, young maidens
with ideals and sentiment, began
pouring into the governors Office
asking for his reprieve. Mothers and
fathers with little ones at home, did
not join in the crusade for the liberia
tion of Jesse Pomeroy. But the gov
ernor could not Withstand this flood
of petitions and at the end of his
second year, he walked out of the
prison door a free man, or rather a
free boy. He returned to the home
of his mother, his father dying when
the boy was in his infancy, and was
installed as an assistant in the little
shop on a back street, kept by Mrs.
Pomeroy He appeared to be diligent
in his business and courteous in his
behavior, but before the year was out
the people in the neighborhood were
in frenzy of excitement over the
sudden disappearance of little girl
about eleven years old.
She was hunted for everywhere, but
could trail her no farther than the
Pomeroy shop. All trace of her from
here was lbst. Jesse admitted she
came in the store, made a purchase,
and left. Suspicion pointed to the
boy but his. frank and prompt adnis-
sion of seeing her in the shop, threw
the sleuths off their guard. AT last
a search of the premises was made.
Every nook and Granny, from garret
to cellar, was explored to no avail.
Weeks went by, then one day, an,
employee at a chemical plant nearby,
told of seeing Jesse carrying away a
bag of lime or some kind of chemi-
Gals that he said his mother wanted.
Another visit was made to the premis-
es and there was found, what was
thought to be the faint remains OF
the little girl, eaten up by the quick
lime. When the boy was confronted
with this evidence he confessed the
deed. He had induced the girl, after
the purchase, to accompany him to
the rear end of the store, and there
felled her with an iron rod, knocking
her down the steps into the cellar.
He showed no signs of penitence or
justification of the act.
Again he stood in the dock and this
time sentenced to be hanged. Again
petitions for leniency came in by
the cart load to the governor. His
sentence was commuted to life time
solitary confinement in the Tombs
prison.
Now with life of Imprisonment be-
fore him, he began to study. The Ii
brary of the prison is very large and
the law provides the inmates the use
of any and all the books. Jesse first
mastered his own language, then that
of the French, German and Spanish.
Today he can read and write luently
in all these languages. He wrote
great treatises about his trials, the
laws of New York and kindred sub
iects. Every incoming new governor
received from him hundreds of pages
of his unjust treatment
at the bar and the injustice of the
law. but never a word of penitence