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Jesse PomeroyYoungest resident in Massachusetts history convicted of first-degree murder
Date of Birth: 29.11.1859
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Biography of Jesse Pomeroy
- Early Life and Crimes
- The Murders and Conviction
- Legal Battles and Imprisonment
- Life in Prison
Biography of Jesse Pomeroy
IntroductionJesse Harding Pomeroy, famously known as "The Boy Fiend" and "The Marble Eye," was the youngest resident of Massachusetts to be convicted of first-degree murder. Born on November 29, 1859, in Charlestown, Massachusetts, Jesse grew up in a family with his father, Thomas J. Pomeroy, a veteran of the American Civil War, and his mother, Ruth Ann Snowman.
Early Life and Crimes
Jesse had an older brother named Charles Jefferson Pomeroy. In 1871 and 1872, there were reports of several young boys being lured to secluded areas and brutally assaulted by an older boy. Despite efforts, no one was captured at the time. The attacks were marked by extreme cruelty, with the assailant using knives in at least two instances, leaving some victims with permanent disfigurements.
In 1872, Ruth and her sons moved to South Boston, where the tormentor continued his spree of violence. A boy named Robert Gould informed the police about being attacked by a boy with a "marble eye." Jesse's right eye, either due to infection or cataracts, was completely white, earning him the infamous nickname "Marble Eye" along with other nicknames such as "The Boy Torturer," "The Demon," and "The Red Devil."
Thanks to the description, Jesse was finally apprehended, and his case was tried in juvenile court. He was found guilty and sent to a correctional facility in Westborough, Massachusetts, until his 18th birthday. The newspaper "The Boston Globe" concluded his story by saying, "The general verdict is that the boy is mentally deficient."
The Murders and Conviction
In February 1874, at the age of 14, Jesse was released on parole. He returned to his mother, who ran her own sewing workshop, and his brother Charles, who sold newspapers. Just six weeks later, Jesse resumed his criminal activities.
In March 1874, 10-year-old Katie Curran went missing in South Boston. Then, on April 22, 1874, the mutilated body of four-year-old Horace Millen was discovered in a marsh near Dorchester Bay. Despite the lack of evidence linking him to the crimes, Jesse was immediately arrested by police detectives. Katie's body was later found in the basement of his mother's workshop, where the killer had hastily hidden her remains among the ashes. Katie's head was crushed, and decomposition prevented experts from determining the exact nature of the wounds in that area.
During his arrest, Jesse was bombarded with questions, denied the right to an attorney, taken to a funeral parlor to view Millen's body, and coerced into confessing to the murders. Overwhelmed with tears, he begged for his mother not to be told about what he had done. The case of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts against Pomeroy was heard in the Suffolk County Court on December 9 and 10, 1874. Although the jury recommended leniency due to Jesse's young age, the prosecution insisted on the death penalty by hanging.
Legal Battles and Imprisonment
Jesse's lawyer, Charles Robinson, filed two complaints with a higher court but was denied in February 1875. The responsibility to sign the death warrant and set the execution date fell to Massachusetts Governor William Gaston, who declined to take on such a burden. Jesse's only hope for life lay with the Governor's Council, consisting of nine members, who needed a majority vote for a commuted sentence. The council twice demanded the death penalty, but Gaston refused to sign.
In August 1876, an anonymous third vote was arranged by the council. After this vote, Jesse, the youngest killer in Massachusetts, was sentenced to life imprisonment in solitary confinement. On the evening of September 7, 1876, Jesse was transferred to the state prison in Charlestown, where his life of captivity began at the age of 16 years and 9 months.
Life in Prison
Jesse claimed that he taught himself to speak multiple languages, including Hebrew, during his time behind bars. One of his visiting psychiatrists noted that Pomeroy had a fairly advanced level of German proficiency. The prisoner also wrote poetry and attempted to get permission from officials to publish his literary works. Jesse studied law and spent decades petitioning for clemency.
According to a psychiatric report from 1914 and excerpts from articles published in "The Boston Globe" after Pomeroy's death, "The Marble Eye" attempted to escape from prison around 10 to 12 times. Various handmade tools, including ropes, metal rods, and a drill, were often found among his possessions. "The Boston Globe" reported that Pomeroy lost an eye while attempting to redirect a gas pipe to damage his cell and escape. Reports described his "ingenuity and persistence as unprecedented in the history of the prison."
In 1917, Jesse was granted some privileges usually given to life-term prisoners. He initially resisted, hoping for nothing but a pardon. However, he eventually accepted his fate and even participated in a talent show organized within the prison. In 1929, at the age of 70, his health deteriorating, Jesse was transferred to the Bridgewater State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, where he died on September 29, 1932.
