The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-31 00:00:00

'CHARGE OF CRUELT v AGINST A
SCHOOLMISTRESS.

Yesterday afternoon Mary Alien, a decent-
looking female, 40 years of age, described in the
charge-street as a schoolmistress, residing at No.
8, Parry-place, Gravel-lane, Southwark, was
brought before Mr. Maude, at the Southwark
Police-court, charged with cruelly assaulting and
ill-treating Caroline Lefevre, a child eight years of
age, entrusted to her care to bring up and instruct.
The court was densely erowded, and soon after
the prisoner had been placed in the dock the child
was brought forward. A green shade covered her
eyes, and on that being removed the whole of the
upper part of the face exhibited one mass of
bruises ; in fact, the eyes were so much inflamed
that the poor child could with difficulty distinguish
any object before her. She was examined by the
chief clerk as to the nature of an oath, which she
explained satisfactorily, but she appeared in such
terror of the prisoner that the magistrate ordered
the child to be removed to another room, while he
examined persons who could give him sonxe
insight into the circumstances.
Thomas Williams said—l work at Messrs. Sad-
ler and Ross's, mustard manufacturers, Great Guild-
ford-street, Southwark. I reside near the place
where the prisoner has for some time lived. I know
her to be an• old brute, as I have frequently heard
of her cruelty to this poor child. I have seen the
latter go out for beer with her eyes blackened, and
when I asked the child how it was caused she said
that she had fallen against a chair. This morning
I saw her again in a deplorable state, her face and
elbows bleeding, and I stopped her and 'asked her
how that had occurred. She commenced scream-
ing, and she told me she could not tell me as she
was afraid of the prisoner. I then took her to the
station-house, and showed her to the inspector, who
caused the prisoner to be apprehended.
Mr. Maude—Do you know anything of the
child?

Witness—l understand she has a stepmother,
who has placed her with the prisoner as a drudge,
and that the cruelty has been going on for several
months.
Mr. Maude—Has the poor child a father living ?
Witness—Yes, sir, and he is in court.
Mr. Maude—Let him come forward, then.
A hearty-looking man here stepped forward, and
on being sworn, said—l am a labourer at Messrs.
Barclay's. Caroline Lefevre is my child, and she is
eight years of age. She lives with the prisoner,
who keeps a school.
Mr. Maude—How long has she lived with the
prisoner ?
Father—Between two and three years. She
sleeps there, and lives with her entirely.
Mr. Maude—How often have you seen the
child ?
Father—About twice a•month. The last time I
saw her, prior to this, was ten days ago. She never
made any complaints to me.
Mr. Maude—Have you sees the shocking state
the child is in to-day ?
Father—Yes, sir. I beard that the prisoner had
ill-used her yesterday, and this morning I went to
take her away, when I found her in the station-
house.

Mr. Maude—Ts there any one in court who wit-
nessed any of the brutal assaults on this poor
child ?

Eliza Mole, a married woman, residing at No. 9,
next door to the prisoner—She keeps a school, and
has a great many children to take care of for the
neighbours. I know the child Caroline Lefevre,
and about 13 months ago I recollect being informed
that the prisoner ill-used her, but I was afraid to
sad• anything to the prisoner. I also heard the
child scream one day, and one of the neighbours
told me she had been a naughty girl.
Mr. Maude—Have you ever seen the prisoner
beat the child ?

Witness—Yes, sir, last Wednesday I saw her
beat the child about the head with a cane until the
nose bled, when the prisoner took her to the sink
in the court and washed her face. Yesterday morn-
ing I was at my door, when I again saw the child,
and her face and neck was in such a frightful state
that it nearly made me sick. I spoke tothe neigh-
bour opposite about the child, and she told me she
had fallen against the bedstead in the night. I did
not believe her. I have heard noises in the pri-
sonar's house at five and six in the morning—chairs
and tables falling about and screaming, as if a man
and his wife were quarrelling. I have mentioned
that to my neighbours.
Mr. Maude—Have you ever mentioned it to the
police ?
Witness—No, sir, I was afraid. I send a little
boy to her school but she never ill-used him.
Alice Hill—l live near the prisoner, and have
seen her beat the child two or three times during
the last month. She used a cane for that purpose
in a most unmerciful manner.
It was a
Prisoner—lt was not a whole cane.
split cane that I used.
G___?ewoarsgepaJsasminegs Euplmore, a very intelligent lad, said
the court yesterday afternoon,
when I saw the child bleeding from the face and
back of the head, and the prisoner washed the
blood off at the sink. A little while prior to that I
saw the prisoner beat the little girl over the hea'
With a cane. She struck her with the hook end al
hard as she could. (Sensation.)
Elizabeth Lloyd, a young woman living ii the
next court, said---I have been told by my little

sister that the prisoner has cruelly beaten the
child, and I have seen her covered wish bruises, but
she has been afraid to tell me how they came there.
Yesterday I went and informed the father.
Mr. Thomas Evans, surgeon, High-street, South-
wark, said—l was called to the police station to see
the child last evening. I stripped her, and. found
her literally covered with wounds and braises.
Mr. Maude—Can you form any judgment as to
how the bruises were caused ?
Dr. Evans—l think they were probably caused
by a cane. The wounds are dirty, and have been
neglected.
Mr. Maude—Are any of them of long standing
then ?

Dr. Evans—Yes. I should think some of the
wounds have been open ten days. (Sensation.) I
perceived such marks all over the body, besides,
the child's person has been generally neglected.
She is emaciated, and I think that she has been
deprived of sufficient nutritious food.
Mr. Maude (to the prisoner)—Have you any
questions to ask this gentleman ?
Prisoner—No, sir. She had her food with my-
sel f ; that's all.
Mr. Maude—Let the child be brought in now.
Stop, I'll ask the father a few questions. To the
father—Do you pay anything for the child's keep
and instruction ?

Father—No, sir. When I sent her to the pri-
soner it was as a kind of companion.
Mr. Maude—i understand from the witnesses
that you were told yesterday of the prisoner's vio-
lence towards your child. Why did you not act
then ? It was your duty.
Father—l left it all to my wife. I told her to
go and look after it, as I had to go to my work.
Mr. Maude—But it's your own child, and you
should not have left it to the mercy of such a
woman as the prisoner. You should have looked
after her yourself.
The poor child was here again brought into
court, and placed in the witness-box. She was
evidently afraid of the prisoner. She said the
marks on her elbows were caused by a fall. 011
being partially stripped, her back and all the upper,
part of her body exhibited one black mass of
bruises, striking horror into the breasts of every
person in the court, the prisoner excepted. She
stood sullen, and looked down.
Mr. Maude (to the child)—l suppose you were
afraid of the prisoner, just now; were you not?
Child—Yes, sir.
Mr. Maude—Don't be afraid of her now.
take care of you. Answer the question lam about
to put to you truly. How were those bruises dons ?
Child—With a cane, sir; by the prisoner.
Mr. Maude—Did ever your father or stepmother
come to see you?
Child—Yes, sometimes ; but I never told thou',
as I was afraid of my governess.
Mr. Maude—What meals do you have ?
Child—Sometimes I have sop, milk and bread,
and a little meat and potatoes.
Mr. Maude—Do you have as much as you can eat?
Child--Yes, sir ; as much as I wish.
Mr. Maude—Has the prisoner done anything to
heal your wounds ?
Child—Yes, sir; at dinner time she putointraent
on my eyes, head, and arms.
Mr. Maude—But you have very bad sores 011
your elbows. How were they caused ?
Child—About a week age I was playing Witl,/,
the mat, when she called out, "Leave that alone.
Because I did not do so as quick as she liked, elle
took a hot fiat-iron from the fire and put it on ref
arms. (Murmurs and sensation.)
Mr. Maude (to Dr. Evans)—Have you examined
those wounds—what is your opinion of then P
Dr. Evans—l think they are burns. The poor
child has been so grossly neglected that I can barn;
distinguish. On close examination—They sr
caused by burns.
Prisoner—That was done accidentally. She would
not let the mat alone.
Mr. Maude (to the child)—What was the prisoner
doing when she burnt you in that manner ?
Child—She was ironing something, sir.
Mr. Mende (to the prisoner)—Have you
evidence to bring forward on your behalf ? Thie t
a very serious case, and unless you can show til
you did not cause these wounds and bruises on the
child, I must send you to another tribunal.
Prisoner—l have no witnesses at present, sir,btit
.0
if you will adjourn the case I shall have time
consult my friends.
Mr. Maude—l shall certainly give you that ef;
portunity, as the charge may assume a very serio
aspect towards you. Here is a poor child put undo,
your care to protect and instruct, and instead
doing so you are charged with not only neglect' :t
it, but grossly and cruelly ill-using it. If true,
is one of the most brutal cases that ever came,
fore me. I shall remand you until a future uliir
and at the same time I must remark that the fat'..o,
has not done his duty, and to prevent his corat!`ce
mising the case I shall bind him over to pro
the child.
The prisoner was then remanded.