Herbert Franklin Niccolls was born 29 June 1919 in Boise, Idaho to Herbert Olivier Niccolls and Hael Katherine Gillaspy.
Herbert spent most of his young life in and out of foster homes. He was in reform school and then lived with his grandmother for a while who was devilish strict so he ran away. The 5th of August he broke into a store to steal candy and cigarettes, he was only 12.
Inmate 13973 Washington State Prison
Rec: 1931
Crime: Murder 1st Degree
Term: Life
Sheriff John Wormell of Asotin County, WA called to him to come out of the store when he didn't answer John and the store owner walked in and Herbert was hiding behind a barrell he stood up and fired at the sheriff hitting him in the head with a bullet instantly killing him.
The boy hadn't owned a pair of shoes for 2 years and was called the barefoot boy murderer.
Newspaper clippings:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33085035/herbert_franklin_niccolls/
His father was being held in an asylum for killing a women in Star, Idaho 1927.
He was placed in State Hospital in North Idaho Insane Asylum And Sanatorium in Orofino, ID while he was there his wife divorced him.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33087037/rapid_city_journal/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33084564/herbert_franklin_niccolls/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33084537/herbert_franklin_niccolls/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33084448/herbert_franklin_niccolls/
There are plenty more articles about the boy you can read.
Herbert flourished in the structured prison environment. He became an avid reader and was gifted in math. He received homework weekly from the Walla Walla School District, and in 1938 received his high school diploma. He subsequently took correspondence classes from Washington State College while still in prison.
In 1941 Governor Martin pardoned Herbert. During most of his 10 years in Walla Walla, Herbert had not been kept with the general population. Initially kept in a prison cell, he later stayed in a specially built hut built near a guard tower, where he was alone at night, separated from the other prisoners. He ate his meals with officers instead of inmates, did not have to wear the denim prison uniform, and received tutoring from other prison inmates.
After a brief, unsuccessful start at a bakery job just after his release from prison, Herbert worked in the accounting department of a Tacoma shipyard, and there he excelled. He subsequently moved to California and joined the accounting department at MGM, and later worked for 20th Century Fox in Hollywood. He married and had a son, John.
He wrote crime stories for the men's magazine Argosy and later wrote screenplays.
Herbert died of a heart attack in 1983, having lived a crime-free life since his parole.
He is buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA.
Herbert spent most of his young life in and out of foster homes. He was in reform school and then lived with his grandmother for a while who was devilish strict so he ran away. The 5th of August he broke into a store to steal candy and cigarettes, he was only 12.
Rec: 1931
Crime: Murder 1st Degree
Term: Life
 |
| Sheriff John Wormell |
Sheriff John Wormell of Asotin County, WA called to him to come out of the store when he didn't answer John and the store owner walked in and Herbert was hiding behind a barrell he stood up and fired at the sheriff hitting him in the head with a bullet instantly killing him.
The boy hadn't owned a pair of shoes for 2 years and was called the barefoot boy murderer.
Newspaper clippings:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33085035/herbert_franklin_niccolls/
His father was being held in an asylum for killing a women in Star, Idaho 1927.
He was placed in State Hospital in North Idaho Insane Asylum And Sanatorium in Orofino, ID while he was there his wife divorced him.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33087037/rapid_city_journal/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33084564/herbert_franklin_niccolls/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33084537/herbert_franklin_niccolls/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33084448/herbert_franklin_niccolls/
There are plenty more articles about the boy you can read.
Herbert flourished in the structured prison environment. He became an avid reader and was gifted in math. He received homework weekly from the Walla Walla School District, and in 1938 received his high school diploma. He subsequently took correspondence classes from Washington State College while still in prison.
In 1941 Governor Martin pardoned Herbert. During most of his 10 years in Walla Walla, Herbert had not been kept with the general population. Initially kept in a prison cell, he later stayed in a specially built hut built near a guard tower, where he was alone at night, separated from the other prisoners. He ate his meals with officers instead of inmates, did not have to wear the denim prison uniform, and received tutoring from other prison inmates.
After a brief, unsuccessful start at a bakery job just after his release from prison, Herbert worked in the accounting department of a Tacoma shipyard, and there he excelled. He subsequently moved to California and joined the accounting department at MGM, and later worked for 20th Century Fox in Hollywood. He married and had a son, John.
He wrote crime stories for the men's magazine Argosy and later wrote screenplays.
Herbert died of a heart attack in 1983, having lived a crime-free life since his parole.
He is buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA.
I'm glad his life had a better ending than start. What a beautiful child in the mugshot.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, His mugshot is an awesome one.
DeleteWow..Great story, Kudos to prison for protecting and mentoring him. Things probably would not have turned out as well if he had been sent to FR Flannagan boys home.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. Yes the prison did a great job with this one.
DeleteGreat story. Glad he turned his life around. Goes to show people can change.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much
DeleteMy first look into his eyes gave me warning. Warning that I knew how to survive and learned it by life lessons. As far as Father Flanagan, he did get public interest in the case but it was needed. I am glad he turned himself around and learned his life could be better, I was also sorry to hear about his father and I dont think one had to do with the other. In those days people survived at all costs and there was probably a story behind his fathers incarceration also I loved that he knew the difference in being treated as insane and as a prisoner. He made the remarked that he was glad he wasnt found to be insane. That shows me how a young man must have lived a horrific life if he knew that difference Kudos Gwen. Good job.
ReplyDeleteThank you ever so much for your comment and I was thrilled to write his story.
DeleteHow can I share this??
ReplyDeleteYou can copy and paste the link
DeleteI have buttons at the bottom here you can share to facebook, twitter, and email
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ReplyDeleteYou can share with the buttons at the end of the story Facebook, Twitter and Email buttons they are small
DeleteWhat an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much
DeleteSo glad his story has been shared like this. He was my grandfather's first cousin.My family never spoke about it. It was kept in the closet. I know my great grandmother want to adopt herbert and his siblings but great grandfather wont let her.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome, It broke my heart, but the ending is a good one.
ReplyDeleteGwen
Wow! Fabulous, Gwen.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great story, Gwen! We need uplifting stories! It's so sad that a man was killed but wonderful that this boy was able to turn his life around.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome, and thank you for your comment.
DeleteWhat a wonderful story! I'm so glad he turned his life around. Being kept out of the prison's general population and getting support with his education was probably the perfect catalyst for this boy. He certainly didn't get any support at home prior to his arrest.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, his home life was not a very good one. I would love to know who the guards were who pretty much raised him.
DeleteThank you for your comment.
What a wonderfully uplifting story .A terrible start in life a dreadful crime a man lost his life and thanks to the compassion and insight of the prison governer his life was turned around .Thank you for sharing Gwen
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you enjoyed it, I love writing these stories. I appreciate your comment so much. Yes, thank goodness for the prison officials but mostly the guards who protected him everyday...
Delete