Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-03-03
From the Pbiiadelphia Burstn. Feb. IAh.
HerrId Cruelty 10 Child By It's Father
and M0ther--Unparalied BaTbarlfy.

IIorrid Cruelty 10 Child By Its Father
and MOther--Unparalied BaTbarity.
A case was heard before Judges Thompson
and Allison this morning, on habcas corpus,
which stands without parallel ia the annals
OF cruelty. The case we are about to relate
proves that even the maternal feeling can be
lost OF stifled, and that cold and calculating
cruelty may usurp their place.
From the testimony before The court, 4 ap-
peared that @. b. Hammer aud wife the par-
ents ofa sprightly little boy Of about six years
OF age, named Charles John Hammer. He
was born out Of wedlock. and al the age Of
lew months was abandoned by his parents and
placed in the almshouse From this institn-
ton be was taken by family in Berks coun.
ty, total strangers 10 the child, and kept until
last Christmas The parents Of the little boy
married short time after his birth. but made
no attempt to reclaim their offspring until
few weeks ago. when they obtained him from
the family who had thus far nurtured and
supported him.
AS soon as the parents obtained his custo-
dy, systematic course Of torture was com.
menced which makes every feeling Of human.
ity shudder within our nature. He W 10 stary-l
ed TO such degree, although his parents were
In easy circumstances, that be picked up the
crumbs of bread and the seeds from pies that
fell upon the floor while the girls who worked
for Mrs. Hammer we're eating their dinners.
He would eat the hard crusts found in the
yard, and when spoken TO about II, would re-
ply that be was so hungary that he could
eat anything He was hipped SO unmerci-
fully that black stripes as thick as woman's
fore finger we're all over his body"
For an ac' ident that will sometimes happen
to children, he WAS taken into a shed, striped
naked in the coolest weather Of the season,
and soused with cold water from a hydrant.
until he was almost perishing, and then whip
ped severely and put behind the stove, wrap
ped up in a sheet for hours His mother
struck him over the head with lap. board with
such force as 10 raise lump "a large RS q
walnut. His father took him out of bed
while asleep, and logged him severely with
shoe, as the mother told one Of the witnesses,
for FIVE minutes. The child's cries we're heard
6y the witnesses and bis artless appeals. "Ohi
father, don't whip me any more and will be
a good boy" were tot lly disregardcd.
Ills mother would take him by the head,
spin him around like a top, until he became
giddy, then permit him TO fall with his head
against the wall, and strike him first on one
side of the face and then on the other for cry-
ing This same mother has put him out of
doors in the severest weather, but thinly clad,
and compelled him to stay in the yard for an
hour and half at a time, until he became so
cold as TO be unable 10 walk. She would
threaten TO beat him to death for calling her
mother, and would frequently knock him down.
But the greatest torture, and that which
aroused the indignant feelings of the young
ladies who worked for Mrs. Hammer, was the
resort Of that mother TO hot irons, with which
she scared and burnt the flesh Of her child.
According to the testimony. Mrs. Hammer
picked up fatiron. and said, come 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
cheek and then the other, put il against his
! title hands. ran it up and down his legs, and
concluded by opening his pantaloons. and
holding it against his naked flesh until il burnt
the skin off. In this condition lie was found
when taken out Of their possession by a good
Samaritan named Mary Ann Lewis, womon
of middle age, who had heard of the parents
cruelty, and took measures to relieve the child
from their barbaiity.
Mrs. Lewis stated to the court that after
she heard of the chiid's tortures she could not
asleep at night, and felt it to be her duty TO
rescue him. The court decided that as The
child had been so cruelty treated by its par
ents they had no longer any right 10 its Gus
todr. The father and mother were ordered
TO prison. Mrs Lewis volunteered 10 take Of
the child and raise it. The members of the
bar present Immediately took up subscrip-
ton among themselves, which they deposited
IN the little boys jacket pocket, and he left
the court room with his foster mother, happy
in his new found friend.