Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-02-27
An AEec citing Scene.

Stree its organization, occurred yesterday
morning After the business of the morn
ing was over a middle-aged American lady
neatly alfred approached Judge spooner
and requested that he would send to the
House of Refuge her two sons. one aged
ten and the other eight Years. 1905 So
The two little boyswefe presented to
the court, and better looking boys than
these have not been seen il, this rity.
At the request of the court she made the
folio wing plain statemuat which IN its
delivery exhibited the frre feelings OF a
mother, and the sad duty she was COM
PEELED to perform.
Il came to this city in 1889, where
have resided ever since. In 1912 was
married to Elisha Rettick, who, on ac-
count of his dissolute habits and a refusal
to maintain his family. / procured d.
voree in June, 1853 since which. time |
| have no, seen him, nor do | know where
he is. -s...
| have had four children one dead and
three living; these two boys and little
girl about six years Of age. | reside on
Mill near fourth street; have no means
of support but my needle. have tried
to raise my children as they should be
raised, Blu: whenever it is possible the
two boys run away, ard the Oldest will
take little things from the neighbofs. |
have sent them to the Fourth street School
aud instead oil going, they are continually
playing truant. / have deue all could
and can do no more would willingly
support and provide for them, but / can
not govern them. Judge, lit is hard Tor
me 10 part with them, but thel Interests
compel me 10 do it, s. us.4 So
Her narration was listened TO with
breathless attention by all IN the Court
room, and frequently the tears which rat
down her checks evidenced her feelings
thin. u hen she bad concluded the
boys ourst iata tears and the Younger
iaiatly calculated, Dear ma don't do it.
Here followed scene which beggars de-
1seriptioa slE
The mother sunk into chair aud burst
into a food Of tears, while her two pfedi-
gal sons wtpt bitterly. Every eye in the
Court room was moistened, aud the Court,
overcome, left the bench and paced the
floor. The boys plead, but the motbef
replied in. deep anguish, My dear SONS,
il Is too late and the scene became mote
and more affecting.
After some minutes respite. the Court
remarked that It was the most sad duty
they ever had 10 periorm-separate kind
Icorld hot be avoided. The boys were
then sentenced to be confined in the House
of Refuge until discharged by due course,
of law. The children were taken ont to
that institution by the Marshal, the mother
accompanying TO take Enal iarewell.-
The rules of the institution will rot per-
nit her 70 visit them of,ener than once
month. Cincinnati Gazette.
Extraordinary Cruelty to Child.
\ case ofeXtra ordinary cruelty to "a child,
by its parents, was brought before one Of
the courts of Philadelphia, on Tuesday.
The Ledger says,
From the testimony before the Court, il
appeared that q. b. Hammer and vile
were the parents of sprighily little boy
of about years ofage, uained Charles J..
Hammer. He was born out Of wedock,
and at the age Of few months was aban-
doned by his parents and placed in the
Aims house. From this institution he ia
ken by family residing in Berks county,
total strangers to the child, aud kept until
last Christmas The parents of the little.
boy married short time after his birth.
but made no attempt to reclaim their OFF
spring until a few weeks ago, when the,
obtained from the family who had thus lar
nutuled and supported him.
As soon as the parents obtained his Gus
Itody, systematic course OF torture was
commenced. Although his parents were
in easy circumstances, he picked up the
|crumbs OF bread and the seeds from pies
that fell upon the floor While the girls who
worked for Mrs. Hammer were eating
their dinners. He would eat the hare.
crusts found in the yard, and when spo
ken to about IT, would reply. that he was
SO hungry that he could eat any thing
He was whipped unmercifully.
His mother struck him over the head
with a lap board with such as to raise "a
lump as large as 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 were heard BY the Wit
nesses, and his artipss appeals, ooh father
don't whip me any more, aud ! will be a
good boy were totally disregarded.
His mother has put him out of doors in
the seyefest weather, but thiniy eiad, and
compelled him 10 Stay in the yard for an
hour and a hat. al a time, until he became
so cold as to be unable to walk She waad
threaten to beat lim TO death for calling
her mother, and would frequently knotk