Lad Only Eleven Years of Age
Starts Upon Eight Year Sentence at Reformatory
Lester Smith, an eleven year old boy, was brought to the reformatory
last Saturday. He pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter in the
district court of Poweshiek county, and under the indeterminate
sentence act was given eight years at the reformatory.
This youthful transgressor is large for his age. He became angry at
his father and grabbed a rifle. His brother interfered, and Lester shot
the brother, killing him. He then shot the father, inflicting serious
injury. The boy seems well pleased with his surroundings at the
reformatory, He states that he gets plenty to eat and a good place to
sleep, conditions that he never enjoyed at home.
Lester is the youngest prisoner received at the institution since
the entrance of Wesley Elkins many years ago. Young Elkins was 10 years
old when he entered upon a life sentence for murder. When he reached
the age of 21 years, efforts to obtain for him a parole or pardon, were
successful, and he was placed under the guardianship of President King
of Cornell college. Young Elkins was given an education at Cornell and
soon dropped from public mind. It is understood that he now occupies a
responsible position on the staff of a paper in one of the larger
cities of the Central West.
There is a good school
maintained at the reformatory, and Young Smith will have the advantages
of this school, something probably that he would have missed in his
home surroundings.
