Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-11
shocking Brutality on the Duke OF
Sutherland's Estate.


The Northern Ensign Scotch paper has the
following
In small house in Tubeg Sherry, in the par
ish of Tongue, lived Highlander and his wife,
within less than quarter of mile of the house
in which they were both brought up, and which
their fathers still occupied under the Duke Of
Sutherland, Mr. Robert Hornsborough being fac
tor. Shortly before the occurrence which our
contemporary relates, William M Kay 5 wife was
confined of her fourth child and was still in bed,
and unfit to be removed from it, But on the '26th
of June, neighbor informed NJ Kay that party
OF law officers were coming to turn himself and
family out. The husband hastened to the house
to inform his wife, and, Of course, console her.
! In instant the messenger-at-arms, with his
party, at the door; their speaking was heard
by the poor woman, and she began TO tremble;
cold perspiration covered her body all over; the
officers came in, and cleared the house of
every article of furniture and lastly, the wife and
her newly born babe must be torn out too The
midwife demonstrated but in vain. The law Of
hcers said they would be required TO execute their
| commission. The poor woman was, in spite of
every remonstrance, doomed to be removed
These executioners Of justice had they said their
instructions-but may it not be said, wanted the
| tenderness which would suggest to them the deli
cacy and danger Of interfering with woman in
such state. They surrounded her in the corner
in which she lay, laid hold of the sheet or cover
ing which was under her, carried her out of the
house, and placed her on the ground at a dis
lance, and sped back to the work of demolition
Divets and cabers were thrown in all directions;
the Ratchet cut down the couple-tree and in
very short time the roof Of the hut disappeared
and so did its destroyers. They had more work
of a kindred nature 10 perform that day la an
agony Of feeling, the husband ran off distance
of five miles TO procure medical aid, while his
wife, with her new born infant, lay on a little
straw upon the ground; and il was not till nipht
that, by the kindness Of her neighbors, she and
her children were deposited in empty barn.
We cannot, except in some Of our English poor
law cruelties, recall such circumstance, which
has occasioned us deeper Indignation than the in
cidents Of this painful narrative, nor one which
demands stricter investigation. In the former we
have, indeed, had cruelty in its worst possible
form as far as the acts themselves are concerned.
We can understand the workhouse official
snatched perhaps from starvation by the salary
he receives, aud eager to recommend himself 10
his employers by economizing use Of his func-
tons, committing acts Of inhumanity at which
one feels Mortified. But that such things can
take place under the eyes Of the Duke Of Suther-
land, fills us with as much establishment as pain
1t is not many months since the ladies Of England
appealed 10 their sisters in America on behalf Of
the poor blacks, implorng them 10 exert their in
fuence to put end to the deplorable and shock
ing system Of slavery; and the first name which
the signatures to that appeal bore, was the name
Of the Duchess Of Sutherland Will that woman
look at home and think Of William NJ Kay 3 wife,
carried on a sheet out of her hut, and laid trem-
bling on the ground, with her new born infant in
her arms Will she speak the eloquent words Of
remonstrance in favor Of the poor whites who
have the misfortune, at this moment, TO have
their holdings on her husbands estates