State v. Adams

The defendant, a negro boy, twelve years old at the time of the trial, October 21st, 1882, was indicted for murder in the first degree, having killed Henry Ostermann, abont seventeen years old, by stabbing him with a pocket knife, August 1st of that year.

Walton McNair, a small boy, twelve years of age, was the only witness who saw the stabbing, and testified that he saw it occur on the hay field as follows: Henry and Tom were fussing. Tom called Henry a liar. Henry said if Tom called him a liar again he would knock him down with the pitchfork. Tom called Henry a liar again, and then Henry…