The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-03-02
Unmitigated Cruelty.

before Judge thompson and ALLISON, In
Philadelphia, which portrayed more
brutality and cruelty than we thought
could possible be practised by any human
being. 1t was habeas corpus brought
by the parents, G.. b. Hammer and wife,
to recover possession of their child.
Yesterday morning a case was heard
in the Court of Common Pleas, before
Judges Thompson and Allison. 1t was
a habeas corpus brought by the parents,
G. B. Hammer and wife, to recover pos
session of their child From the testi-
mony before the Court, it appeared that
| G. b. Manner and wife were the parents
of a sprightly little boy of about 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 Almshouse.
From this institution he was taken by a
family residing in Berks county, total
strangers to the child, and kept until last
Christmas. The parents of the little boy
married q short time after his birth, but
made no attempt to reclaim their Off
spring until a 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 Gus
tody, 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 hard
crusts found in the yard, and when spok
en- to about it, would reply, that he was
so hungry that he could eat anything.
He was whipped numerically. His
mother struck him over the head with a
lap board with such force as to raise a
lump as large as a walnut. His father
took him out of bed while esleep, and
fogged 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 appeals,
'Oh father don't whip me any more, ,and |
will be good boy were totally disre-
garded. His mother has put him out of
doors in the severest weather, but thinly
clad, and compelled him to stay in the
ward for an hour and half at a time
until he became so cold as to be unable
to 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 a.
reused the indignation of the young ladies
who worked for Mrs. Hammer, was the
resort of that mother to hat irons, with
which she scared and burned the flesh of
her child According to the testimony,
Mrs. Hammer picked up hot fat iron
and said, come here Johnny, till iron
you out The child replied, OH nc, ,n10th
er, it will burn me- She then placed the
iron first against one cheek, and then the
other, put it against his hand, ran it up
and down his legs and concluded by o.
pening his pantaloons, and holding it a.
gainst his naked flesh until 1t burned dteI
skin of. In this condition he was found
when taken out of their possession by a
good Samaritan named Mary Ann Lewis,
a woman of middle age, who had heard
of the parents cruelty, and took measures
to relieve the child from their barbarity. |
Mrs. L. stated to the Court that, after she
heard of the child's tortureS she could not
sleep at night, and felt it to be her duty
to rescue him. She and another lady
hunted up the young ladies who worked
for Mrs. Hammer. They did not wish to
testify against Mr.. and Mrs. Hammer, as
they would loose their places as tailoresses,
and one of them said she should be out OF
work. Mrs. Lewis replied never fear,
is a merciful God, and be will pro-
vide for your wants The young ladies
at length agreed to testify, and they did
with tears in their eyes. VIM. X. Dick
erson, for Mr.. and Mrs. Hammer, after
the testimony was heard, remarked to the
Court that be had just told his clients that
they were not fit to have the care of
child, and he would not ask that the
child be returned to them. lie had not
supposed that such brutal Conduct could
exist, in our community His own feel
ings had been greatly shocked. He
would ask that the grandfather, who was
willing to take the child, should have the
care of him to bring him up.
Judge Thompson said-thatit it appear
cd that the child had been abandoned by
its parents at a very tender age. This
Invested them of all legal right to the
,hilds custody. The grandfather had
never shown any feeling for the child, and
lad left him entirely to the charity OF
strangers. Had it not been for the su-
oerintending care of providence; who al
ways raises up some kind hearted person
ike Mrs. Lewis, in emergencies like the
present, the fate of the child would have
,een hopeless indeed. 1t may be viewed
Is special Providence. The details of
the case are of the most shocking charac-
er, and the court awarded the child to
Mrs. Lewis, his generous protector, if she
yill take the care of him. Mrs. Lewis
took upon herself the care of
'aising the child, and every one present
elt that he could not be entrusted to
more worthy hands. The members of the