The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-02-18

EXTRAORDINARY CRUELTY o a CHLD.-A
case ofextraordinary cruelty to child, by its
parents; was brought before one of the courts
of Philadelphia, on Tuesday. The Ledger
says:
From the testimony before the court, it ap-
pearcd that G. b. Hammer and wife were the
parents of a sprightly little boy of about 6
years of age, named Charles John Hammer.
He was born out of wedlock, and at the age of
few months was abandoned by his parents
and placed in the Aims house. From this in
stitution he was taken by q family residing in
Bcrks county total strangers to tic cA.ld, and
kept until last Christmas. The parents ofthc
little boy married a short tine after his birth,
but made no attempt torcclaim their offspring
until few weeks ago, when they obtained
him from tie family who had thus nurtured
and supported HIM.
As soon as tie PARENTS obtained his Gus
tody, systematic course oftorture was com
mcnccd. Although his parents were in easy
circumstances, lie picked up the crumbs of
bread and the seeds of pies that fell upon the
floor while the girls who worked for Mrs.
Hammer wee eating tier dinners. He
would cat the hard crusts found in the yard,
and wien spoken to about, would reply, that
lie was 50 hungry that he could eat anything.
lie was whipped numerically.
His mother struck him oyrr the head with
lap board with such force AZ 20 raise lump
as large as a walnut. His father took him out
of bed, while asleep, and logged him sey>r y
with a shoe, as the mother told enc IF the wit
nes.es, for five minutes. Tie child's cries
were heard by the witnesses, and his aitless
appeals, ''Oh father don't whip ne any more,
and will he good boy" were totally dis
regarded.
His mother has put him Gu. of doors in the
seyercst weather, but thinly clad, and compell-
cd him to stay in the yard for an hour and a
half at a time, until lie lccomc so cold as to
be unable to walk. Sic would threaten 10
beat him to death for calling her mother, and
would frequently knock him down.
But the greatest torture, and that which a.
reused the indignant feelings Of Tie young
ladies who worked for Mrs. Hammer, was til,
resort of that mother to hot irons, with which
she scared and burnt the flesh of Tie child
According to the testimony, Mrs. Hammer
picked up Il hot flat iron, and said, "ccmc here
Johnny, till | iron you out" The child re-
piled, ''oh! no, mother, it will burn me-" She
then placed the iron first against one check
and then the other, put it against his hand
ran it upand down his legs, and concluded by
opening his pantaloons, and holdingi it against
his nahedf flesh till it burm The slim off. In this
condition lie was found whcn taken out of then
| possession by good Samaritan, named Mary
| Ann Lewis, a woman of middle age, who had
heard of the parents cruelty, and took meas
uros to relieve the child from their bar1,arity
The case was brought before court by Ham,
mcr and wife to obtain possession Of the boy,
but the court rcmanded him to the custody Of
Mrs. Lewis. The members of the bar present
Immediately took up a subscription among
themselves, which they deposited in the little
boys jacket pocket, and he lf; the court room
with his foster mother, happy in his nov
| found friend.