Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-01-07
VICTIM OF CRUEL
 SENTENCE ID RE
 SHOWN LENIENCY
Alter 40 Years in Dark Dun geon, Jesse Pomeroy to
 See Sun.

i'oAloh' MaSs., Jan. 6.--After more than 40 years spent in solitary con- 1lnement, Jesse Pomeroy, the noted
 ilferN at the Charlestown prison. is to pc permitted once again to look upon the faces of his fellow men. Asa re- suit ot many years of public aeitatjon 9 special council committee was an pointed slime time ago to investigafe Pomeroy's case. This committee has now prepared a report to the eover- nor recommending that certain priv llegeS be granted with view to ameli orating the condition of the celebrated prisoners incarceration.
 Jesse PomerOy is considered the most extraordinary life prisoner in confinement in the United States. So lar IS IS known he is the only man in the entire history of the country who has spent 40 years, or even any con- siderable portion of that period, in sol- ltary confinement The conditions of his Imprisonment were prescribed by the court which sentenced him. His cell IS undoubtedly the strongest i.1 America: Despite this fact, on a doz en occasions since his entrance he has. with superhuman cunning, devised plans of escape, and in spite of con- stant watching has succeeded in car rying them to an advanced stage of execution.
 The history of the crimes laid at the door of Pomerov is one of savage atrocities, committed by boy only in his teens. Born in Charlestown in 1859, according to his own story of his life, Fnmeroy was convicted of two brutal murders in 1874 and on Sept. 9, 1876, he began his life sentence in prison.
 It was in 1872 that he moved with his mother to South Boston, the scene of most of the crimes laid at his door At that time he had already establish ed reputation as "bad boy" and had served some time in reformitory.
 Mania for Murder.
 Shortly after Pomerov's return from the reform school a little girl named Katie Curran disappeared. She had been sent by her mother to purchase a loaf of bread. Hundreds of people turned detectives" but no trace of the missing girl could be found. A few months later the body of little boy was found on the Dorchester mar shes. It was badly mutilated. Sus- picion rested upon Pomeroy, who was questioned and who at last became frightened enough to admit that he might have done the killing. The po- lice had taken plaster of paris inn pression of the footprints leading to the body and found that they tallied with the measurements of Pomeroy's shoes.
 While Pomeroy was in jail. his mother moved from the house in South Boston. The house was torn down and while workmen were removing the de- bris they unearthed the corpse of Katie Curran. who had been lured into the house and killed Story after story was heard after that of atrocities, many of them probably true and oth- CTS perhaps fiction. for Pomeroy has been a fruitful subject for fanciful minds since the time of his arrest.
 The sentence of the court that the youthful murderer should be kept in solitary confinement during the term of his natural life has been strictly observed by the prison authorities dur ing the past 40 years. The noted pris- oner has never been allowed to mingle iwth the other prisoners. For 40 years he has been kept in a cell with out windows to see through. He has never been permitted to take part in the recreations of the other prison in- mates and the cell of his door has been kept absolutely covered so that he could not see the other prisoners as they passed by.
 The special committee appointed to investigate the case is unanimous that no pardon or parole be granted or even considered, but it is of the opinion that some of the privileges now granted to other liferes be extended to Pomeroy if measures are taken to prevent his escape. It is suggested that the prls- oner be allowed a different cell with window thorugh which he can see outside light; that he be allowed the same yard privileges for exercise and recreation as are accorded other life prisoners, under constant supervision of an officer of the prison; that he be allowed to attend church services ana entertainments and join with others if he desires, unless objection is made by the other prisoners; that he be. allow ed such books, periodicals and mag, azines as other prisoners are allowed to read; but that these privileges be 1 allowed only during good behavior and subject to all the rules and regulations
 of the prison.