Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-04-19
Gooppr'sG lurISsbl}r9 Rp9ister
Extraor binary Cruelty TO a child.

20 Extraordinary Cruelty to a Child.
"A case of extraordinary cruelty to a
child, by its parents, was brought before
one ofthe courts of Philadelphia on Tues
day. The Ledger says:
From the testimony before the Court,
it.appeared that G. B. Hammer and wife
were the parents Of a sprightly little boy
Of about six years of age, named Charles
John Hammer. He was born out of we'd
lock. and at the age of a few months was
abandoned by his parents and placed in
the almshouse. From this institution he
was taken by family residing in Berks
county, 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 aud supported
him.
AS soon as the parents obtained his
custody, Il 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 eat
ing their dinners. He would eat the hard
cruzt3 found in the yard, and when spo-
ken to about it would reply that he was
go hungry that he could eat anything
He was whipped numerically.
His mo her struck him over the head
with a hI board with such force as 10
raise lun p 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 witnesses, and his artless APP
Peals, "Oh, father, don't whip me any
more, and will be a good boy" were to-
tally disregarded.
His mother has put him out of doors
in the scverest weather, but thinly clad,
and compelled him to stay in the yard for
Al hour and half ut a time, until he be-
came SO cold as to be unable TO walk
She would threaten 10 beat him to death
for calling her mother, and would fire.
QuenIly 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
burned the flesh other child. According
TO the testimony, Mrs Hammer picked up
hot fiat lion, and said, Come here.
Johnny, till iron you out" The child
replied, "oh no, mother. it will burn me. I"
She then Ilaced the iron first against enc
cheek and then the other, put it agains!
his hand, ran it down his legs, and con
cluded by opening his pant"loons, and
holding it against his naked flesh anil it
burnt tie skin eff! In this condition he
WAS found vi hen taken out OF their posses.
sion by good Samaritan named Mary
Ann Lewis, a woman OF middle age, who
had heard ofthe parents cruelty, and took
measures to relieve the child from their
barbarity.
The case was brought before court by
Hammer and wife to obtain possession of
the boy, but the court remandcd him to
the custody of Mrs. Lewis. The mem
bers of the bar present Immediately took
up subscription 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.