The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-12-15 00:00:00

A HORRIBLE STORY.

Mr. Sydney Hodges, secretary of the Royal Corn-
wall Polytecheic Society, has communicated the
following horrible story to the Times, in a letter
dated Falmouth, December 7 :
A circumstance so horrible that, but for the
evidence of my own eyesight, I should scarcely have
deemed it credible, has just been brought to light in
a village near this town.
For some years past rumours have been current
that the brother of a mason named Porter, living in
mnfortable circumstances, had been kept for many
years in close confinement in • small room at the
back of the premises in which Porter and his family
reside. Heartrending cries and howls have been
repeatedly heard by the neighbours, especially on
odd winter nights; but, although the sympathy of
many was aroused, no one deemed it his duty to in-
quire into the circumstance' of the case, not dream-
ing. probably, of the horrors that were to be revealed.
Rather more than • year ago Dr. Byrne, a well-
known medical practitioner from the county of Dur-
ham, now residing in this town, was compelled to
seek the warm climate of Flushing for his health,
and incidentally board these rumours. Not satisfied
to allow the matter to remain uninverigsted, he
u!dlected all the evidence he could, and was so satis-
fied that the case was one demanding a strict inquiry
that, With a most praiseworthy decision, he men-
nunnoeteo; the facts to the Bane Secretary, who at
once appoint 0 him epeeist commisSlOnsr, and sent
down two other commissioners, who, in company
with Dr. Byres, went to Porter's bore on
Thursday Ire, and demanded admission to his
,c 1 • door,
brother. was absent, but after some
little parley
inteatea, Dr. Byrne,
eep,ort werithhisetbeself
orb.:
who had obtained some rip; into the Plan of
the premises, led the way tin:ingh the house
acmes • yard, and up • flight of where' MD.
cealed from view round a corner, they fun,.
which admitted them to the den In whin:" ~?".e
lunatic was confined. The sight which met 0.. eir
gaze was too revolting to be described with aD 1.
horrid details. The place consisted of four bre',
wet, plaster walls, with a small window on one side,
and the door by which they had entered; a door.
way opposite, formerly communicating with the
house, was plastered up, sass to cut off all com-
munication, except by the flight of steps at the back.
In one corner of the room was a wretched truckle
bedstead, with erre pieces of wood, rotten with
filth, about six inches wide and the same directed
apart On theirs bare boards was crouched a being
more resembling a baboon than a man, drawn and
cramped, from long exposure and suffering, eat of
all form of humanity, stark naked, and with only
two old rotten hags for • coverlet. I have said like
• baboon, from the peculiar form into which the
limbs were drawn; the knees almost touched the
chin, and were pressed close down upon the chest,
the feet close together and bent down one over the
other, I imagine, for warmth ; the hands clinched
and brought up close to the chin ; the arm" closely
pressed against the sides. The knee and hip joints
were anehylose ; the elbow joints were also stiffen-
ing. l'he floor and the walls were one mar el
accumulated filth, the floor rotten with it, the
stench horrible; and there are other circumstances
of the case too dreadful for publication. For up-
wards of 20 years the tender mercies of his nearest
relatives have consigned him to this living tomb-
-not a rag to lie upon, not even • wisp of straw ;
nothing but the naked board, and the two old bags
to cover him.
Would a raving maniac be consigned to schs.
doom? God forbid? What, let us irk, is the
mental condition of this poor wretch? Simply an
imbecile. A most mild, benevolent expression et
countenance, • childlike submission to all that is
done to him, no symptom of violence or even anger
of any kind, and strong indications of intelligence in
many things, even after these weary years of neglect
and cruelty.
Yesterday, in company with Dr. Byrne and some
friends, I visited the poor creature, for the purpose
of getting a sketch of the remarkable position in
which he had remained for so many years. The
arrangements being then completed, two intelligent
krepers from the county asylum washed, dressed,
and took him away to that admirahly.ooluktoted
establishment at Boclmin, where we fervently hoc*
' that both his mental and bodily condition may sees
be improved. Of all the moving incidents of the
case, not the least was the scene on emerging trona
the betas. Many hundreds of people were collected
round the conveyance, to which the keeper carried
him in his arms like • child. "My God! Can that
be a man ?" "God bless you. Dr. Byrne !" were
the exclamations that burst from the lips of the
multitude. Few eyes were dry, especially when
some one who had known him when a strong
intelligent youth pressed forward and shook him by
the band.
I am told that the Commiesioners stated that in an
esperience of forty years they had never met with •
case so avrfnl. I trier, sir, you will give it prom
i i-
nence n your columns, for the terrible reflection
forces itself upon us, when we see of what humanity
is capable, that this ease may not be singular. Are
there any other similar rumours of cruelty that
demand investigation?