The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-26
Tale of Awful Crlme-F1endlsh Cruelty,
Correspondence Of the Plain Dealer.l

MACKINAC, June, 1888.
send you the result of preliminary examination
had at Grand Traverse, a newly organized county
formerly attached to Mchilimackinac, for judicial
purposes, in the matter OF the people against O. p
Hughson, charged with murder, rape, and assaults
without number. The annals of crime have rarely
presented more cold b0Oded and vindictive series
OF atrocities; and were the direct evidences not
amply corroborated by such an array of damning
circumstances, one might well doubt il the revolving
narrative could find even foundation in fact. It
appeared that Hughson had formerly been teacher
OF the common schools at Mackinac, but by various
little tyrannies, and an occasional outbreak of more
less brutality had far estranged his patrons and
excited the Indignation of the community, that he
found it convenient to change the scene Of his edu-
cati0nal abors For this purpose he selected Grand
Traverse, on Lake Michigan, where his conduct
might be less open to scrutiny or condemnation.
Amongst others, his own sister had left her three
young children to be housed and instructed by this
unnatural relative. For months, as it appeared BY
the testimony of witnesses, he had pursued system
OF ruthless cruelty towards these unotfendng little
ones by starvation, burnings, and other cbastise-
ments OF the most aggravated description. For days
he would furnish them with an ear of corn to he
eaten from the cob with the swine. And after
days labor, he would fog and bruise their bodies to
aid digestion, and then send them shivering and
supperesB to their BEDS Thus these unf0rtunates
soon became objects Of public attention and commits
Grafton. Their features, pale and wan their frames
dwarfed and attenuated, their looks and gestures
covering and evasive-all told of some home mys-
terry. that q few weeks was doomed to unravel.
Suddenly one OF the children, lad of about eight
years, died and was buried The villagers suspect
tion and removed the other children from under his
care. The history of their unexampled sufferings
was now brought to light. Unawed by the imme-
date presence of their ormentor and his threats of
further crueltes and DEATH they told of long nights
of bitter cold and darkness, of blows kicks pinches
bruises, Of r0astngs the back hips and under the
armpits; and of the cravings of hunger almost ter
minating their wretched lives. They exhibited their
0pruf Adh OC had koI
OF their statements and spoke of their little brother
in the grave who had only escaped further cruelties
in death. Hnghson had remained in the meantime,
at Grand Traverse, summed and forsaSen, but evi.
IDENTIFY suspicious and alarmed. He even ventured
upon the desperate experiment Of inviting meeting
0the citizens to inquire into his conduct and listen to
his explanations. But his efrontery could not abide
the test. In the evening of that day he suddenly
slaughtered hog, which he had killed and
quarered with axe; and in this plight he started
in midwinter to accomplish journey Of several hun
dred miles, through SHOWS and rivers, and the I'M
OF officer Tyler of Detroit who brought him in irons
to Mackinac about the end Of May last and eventu-
ally lodged him with the sheriff of Grand Traverse
county.
After Hughson's escape from the latter place. the
body of the murdered boy was exhumed, q jury Of
inquest summoned, and careful post morton exami-
nation held 1t resulted in an exhibition of the still
untainted body, frightfully bruised and blackened
Will MINIS uilu UlOWS, duu LII u NeTulCt, IrOIu Tile
opinion of a skilful physician, that death had un-
doubtedy been occasioned by cruel treatment long
continued and divers severe bruises inflicted few
hours before death.
So ended the tragedy, at least for the present 1t
appeared moreover that this fiend in human form
had lain with his little niece child of above twelve
years OF age, and attempted to accomplish his hoi
bic purpose, partly by promises calculated to allure
unsuspectng childhood and by threats in case of
fusal or exposure, OF torture by fire. and bloody
death Hughsons sister the mother of the children,
had arrived in Mackinac. on her way to the Ira
verse but Iesoutely persisted in her refusal tc be
seen by him. His wife, also, delicate and intelli-
gent woman, was o principal witness against him.
She told, in simple tale, OF her constant fear that
her husband would murder her; and that ever since
her unucky marriage he had continued to abuse her
by threats, starvation and blows.
Hughson is about five feet nine inches in height,
Of spare make, light and active and with furtive
but by no means repusive aspect. His demeanor is
quiet, but sufficiently selfpossessed; and, on the
whole, he seems not over fearful Of the future.
His only explanation to his counsel, as under
stand is that he is the inventor Of new system Of
medical treatment, peculiarly adapted to muscular
agtatons consisting, in the MAN, of abstinence
from food, abundance of cold water, and an unIim-
tied supply OF Graham bread. or Indian corn in any
shape. The murdered child, he AYERS was subject to
epilepsy, and in this way bruised and lacerated his
body. BY the way, he informed his wife, ESQ she
swears,) that he intended to place the body in the
yard in order that the hogs might root it; and order
ed her. on pain Of death, to inform any too curious
person, who might notice the marks of violence that
they were thus 0ccasioned
The venue OF this trial will probably be changed
to Mackinac or Detroit and the trial itself will come
of probably in the early fall.
GRAND TRAVERSE.