The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-31 00:00:00

Alleged Inhumanity to a Lunatic.

At the Rotherham Police-court, yesterday, a
lengthened investigation took place into the alleged
ill•treatment of a woman named Mary Ann Bennett,
aged 21, who had been confined by her father and
stepmother for a number of years. The father is
the foreman of extensive ironworks at Parkgate,
and lives on the premises. The case has excited
great indignation in the neighbourhood, and the
court-house and yard were crowded with spectators.
Mr. Muscroft, a neighbour, stated thaton the 19th
inst. the alleged lunatic ran to her house for pro-
tection. Her clothing was in a most filthy state,
her hair was matted, her legs bruised and bloody,
her eyes and arms discoloured, and her lips swol-
len. She said the old lass (her stepmother) had
done it, adding that the woman had struck her
on the face with the coal-rake, and had fre-
quently beaten her with other weapons during
the preceding week. The poor creature was in
such a horrid state that witness could hardly
believe at first it was a human being ;o whom she
was speaking.
Police-sergeant Horne stated that in consequence
of information from Mrs. Muscroft he visited Ben.
nett's house on the 20th inst. The young woman
was called, at his request, from a back place. She
was covered with rags, in such a condition that she
had to hold them together to prevent them falling
off. The officer also spoke to the appearance of the
bruises on various parts of the young woman's body.
He noticed that the ends of her matted hair had
been burnt. The stepmother said that the young
woman had burnt it herself. The witness went
into the young woman's bedroom, which he described
as a small recess on the stairs. It was in a most
filthy state. What was used on her bed was little
else than a heap of filth. There was a blanket upon
it, but so filthy that he could only tell it by the feel,
and the stench of the place was So overpowering he
was obliged to leave. The young woman's person
was in the same filthy state as the rags with which
she was covered. Horne asked when she was
washed, and the stepmother said she had orders from
the father never to clean or do anything for her.
The evidence was given in order that the magis-
trates might grant summonses for the attendance of
the parents. Other witnesses were in waiting, and
a paper was put in signed by a number of men em-
ployed under Bennett, offering to give evidence as
to the cruelty he and his,wife had practised towards
their daughter. •

Dr. Hardwick, the union surgeon, who bad been
instructed to examine the young woman as to her
sanity, some days after she had been seen by Horne,
denied that she was bruised, or that there. was a
filthy room in the house. She was evidently a
person of feeble intellect, but he was unable to say
from one interview whether or not she was insane,
but he thought she was not.
The Bench, after hearing the evidence, decided to
grant summonses against the father and stepmother.
The young woman was present, and upon being
..
asked if she wo return to her fatlicr's house, she
workhouse.
said, " No, my m. they hes threatened to knock my
brains out." She was removed to the
The case will be gone into nest
crowd were so indignant rsat thee Parents narrowly
escaped severe handing
as they left the court-house.
woman has been strictly
It is stated that the young
confined in the place described by the Witness
—Manchester .L'xaminer,
Horne for many y
ears.

the foreign
°total):
THE RUSSIAN NAVY.—Several of
journals eon tain the following paragraph : „ A
rs. sub-
etssienl,a,oef ccoonlosstsrauledtilamnenasfiownhs,icihs n20:7
000 being built at
by
ye nom. s ed
v r a Ss
she ed i
as i tr 0,
iba tons of iron
armed with a power-
fulved by two large en-
spur, and will carry every accessory gaCmi tiranieni ssns,t wtee aeovdl r willk
e d
hulls of vessels large cylinders of 8"Y
for fixing to the
powder to be fired
by.electricity. Large glass covered
the crew to direct the course openings will enable
also able to regulate the depthvessel; at which she is to swim,
Emperor recently signed Will be near the surface. The
a decree appropriating 673,000 fr.
for the construction
Knapp has received o f this sea monster. The house of
an immense order from the Russian
artillery department for steel cannon of the largest
calibre. A. f
blished at Coipionlindry was some time sinco
iron-
casing •
near
but St.alreadysecondfoundry
the
h*locsbt to be built. The
iron-clad frigate Sebastopol has is u
just been launched. She
will carry two engines of 100 horse-power each, and will
be armed with 38-pounder rifled cannon. Another frigate
of the same size, to be called the Emperor Nicholas, will be
launched in the spring.
THE " TIMES' " CRIMES !_What has really been
the threat (asks the Lonclota Review) hurle 1 at a
gentleman who, by common consent, is at the head of his
profession? "You ride in the Park. You are well known
in society. You attend the ' receptions' of the leaders of
politics and fashion. You visit at the country houses of
the nobility. But I will raise a hue and cry after you.
You have offended me, and I will unmask you. You are
nothing hilt a newspaper editor. Ladies and gentlemen—
Mr. D. is nothing but a newspaper editor. I know his
handwriting. I can tell you, moreover, the name of the
proprietor of his journal, and the name of its manager.
They are persons received in society. It's disgraceful. They
ought to l 4 tabooed lu every decent company l''.