Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-16
-Four in Gang
Convicted Of
Killing Boy, IS

NEW YORK. April 10 w.
Four members OF q youth gang
were convicted last night in
the Staying Of Michael Farmer.
l5-year-old polio-crippled son
Of a city fireman.
All escaped the electric chair.
The three other defendants
were acquitted.
An all-male jury In Gen.
eral Sessions Court returned
It's verdict "a hours after re-
ceiving the case.
Hardest hit were Charles
big Mani Horton. an l8-year-
old Negro. and Louis Alvarez.
l7-year-old Puerto Rican.
20 Years 10 Life
Convicted OF murder In the
second degree. they face a
mandatory term Of 20 years 10
life in prison when they come
UP for sentencing May 81. They
were the only defendants sub
ject 10 judgment for first de-
gree murder. for which the
death sentence is mandatory.
Alvares's father Louis tainted
in court when he heard the YER
dict announced.
Found guilty Of second-degree
manslaughter. which is punish
able by up to Is years in prison.
were Leroy (Magician) Birch, q
Negro who was the Oldest de-
PENDANT at 10. and Leoncio
(Jello) De Leon. II. q native Of
the Dominican Republic.
Acquitted we're the three re-
naming members of the Egyp-
tan Dragons on trial: John Nc
Carthy. an epileptic and the
baby" Of the group at Is:
Richard Hills. II. who had
claimed he was drafted into the
gang. and George Melendez. l6-
year-old native Of Puerto Rico.
Hills and Mccarthy are white.
Offered TO Plead Guilty
Ironically. young Hills offered
on March 3 to plead guilty
to first-degree manslaughter.
Judge Irwin d. Davidson re-
jected his plea.
Judge Davidson praised the
jurors for sincere devotion. He
directed that they receive Sc
a day for their services. twice
the usual fee.
Thus ended what was said
to be the longest first-degree
murder trial in the history Of
New York.
The trial began with the
selection of a juny on January
10. Taking Of testimony started
February S. The record ran
to more than 5000 pages. con-
tanning almost is million
words. Cost Of the trial was
estimated at a quarter Of a
million dollars.
Sociologists and youth work.
ers followed the trial closely
for a clue as to why youths
band together on the city
streets and resort to crime. Six
of the seven defendants--Hills
was the exception-came from
broken homes.
Two Gangs Had Feud
The Egyptian Dragons. a
racially integrated gang, were
engaged in a feud with the
testers, who we're mostly white.
Young Farmer and Roger Nc
Shane. now II. ran into an
Egyptian Dragons war party
at an Upper Manhattan park
last July 30. The two boys.
both white. we're headed for
a swim in the park.
Apparently the war party
took them for testers. Prose-
cution testimony at the trial
indicated that neither Of the
boys belonged to gang.
The McShane boy was able
to escape his attackers, fleeing
with minor injuries. Young
Farmer, unable to run, was
slugged to the ground with
fists. feet. belts and dog chain.
Then, it was testified. Horton
slaShed at Farmer with a ma
chete and Alvarez, president Of
the Egyptian Dragons. plunged
a hunting knife into young
Farmers back.
Eleven other boys were ar
rested with the seven defend
ants. The II, under is at the
time of the murder. are now
serving sentences in reforma-
tories for their participation in
the assault.
Twenty seven court-appointed
lawyers represented the seven
defendants at fiat fees Of $500