The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-05-23

They used to call him degenerate,
but by now they call him-well they
call him nothing, for it has been
more than a quarter Of a century since
anv one, save a guard or two have
ever laid eyes upon him or he heard
human voice. In the old prison in
New York, called the Tombs, he sits
today, and has for forty years, read
ing, writing and plotting.
About the year 1870, the city OF
New York was thrown into paroxisms
of excitement and fear at the wanton
cruelties perpettrated upon little help
less boys. From these cruelties and
tortures several of the victims died.
Little boys between the ages of eight
or ten were found in various portions
of the city triced up to telegraph and
lamp posts, some with their lips sew
ed together, others, with their ears
and nose cropped, while others again
were found tied up, gagged and their
bodies covered with pin heads, the
pins ha7eing been pushed in to the
head. From this form of agony two
little boys died soon after being releas-
ed. Well might the fathers and moth
ers be alarmed for their little ones.
It went on this way at intervals for
months without the faintest clue to
the identity of the bastard. The chill
dred all told the same story OF a
strange big boy" Who, by promises
5r persuasion had induced the victim
to accompany him to some secluded
spot. tohers he came upon unawares
and bound them, by threats, before
they could give an alarm. Who could
this be? What was the motive? Was
crazy boy loose in the city that no
one knew Of? Search went on. Po-
lice and plain clothes men were sta
toned all over the city to watch the
movement of every strange boy but
nothing was discovered.
One day a little boy, deaf and
dumb, same running to policeman
on watch near the swamps of East
river, and by his excitement and wild
gesticulations, induced the policeman
to accompany him. In tangled mo-
.rass near the river this officer, who
by virtue of his calling should be har-
dened to all kinds of crime, came upon
a scene that caused his blood to run
cold. There lay a little boy not yet
in his teens, tied hand and foot, his
lips pinned together, his body one
mass of blood, having been almost
cut to pieces with the blade of a pen
knife. When the little mute gave his
testimony to those who could under
stand him, he told of a large boy,
about fourteen or fteen years old
leading the little one to the swamp
His suspicion was aroused by having
heard of the various atrocities, he
watched and saw the foul deed COM
nitted. He lay concealed until the
fendish wretch went away, then made
for policeman. He described the boy
but the description fit so many boys
in the great city that they were no
nearer the solution than before.
With the boy in lead, the police
searched the city over, the little mute
declaring he would know the "big
boy among thousand.
Then an old philanthropist deter
mined to unravel the mystery. He
reasoned that every boy of that age
was compelled to attend the public
schools and he and he and his little
mute friend determined to visit every
one of the several thousand of schools
if it took a year. The old gentleman
got permission from the school au-
thorities to visit the schools on some
pretext of examination, the real cause
of their visit was kept secret.
Day after day, week after week,
they visited one school after another,
had the roll called in the presence of
the little mute, who pretended to be a
passive spectator But still the right
boy could not be found. They visited
every absentee. After several months
of this tiresome and apparently use
less search of 2 or months they visit
ed a grammar school in one OF the
outlying district When the roll was
called the teacher noticed one boy, as
hic name was called turned his face