Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-12-01

rhe crusltIes Of q saep 1Tother.


Ehe cEuelties Of q step Mother.
A correspondent Of the St. Louis RsDu5ltaan gives
tie following aOoOunt q case Of inhuman cruelty
to little child which transpired in Nevada City,
No., few days since:
little child some four years old, was taken With
. severe diarrhe, which lasted several days. Dur
ing this time i happened to coil Its clothes from
the effects Of the disease Its mother (step-mother)
became greatly enraged at the child foe The aetand
providing herself with hickory Withe some two feet
OF more In length proceeded to ehastise the cbidin
the most abusive manner. She gave It some thirty
odd lashes, and presume, from the facts gathered
thst she putthem Is heavily as her strength would
admit. The cries and petitions Of that POOR Httle
babefor remission Of the strokes sad promise upon
promise never to do the like again, madenO impress
sion upon her hardened and guilty heart until her
strength failed her. She then ordered the child's
brother, who some eight OF nine wears Of age to
continue the exercise. he, having heart of child
ish tenderness, refused 70 dose. She, becoming
rged at the boy for his audacity in refusing obey
turned loose upon him and whipped him until his
consent was obtained to prosecute her orders. He
gasped the fatal rod from the hands Of the 6endish
woman and proceeded to the corner Of the room
where his poor little sister sunk upon the hoor from
exhaustion. Reader, just imagine the scene Behold
that innocent child Joseph his little sister by the
hand, Whils tears-0, such tears l-eoursed down
his haggord cheek, pull her up from the corner in
which she was secfeted, and commence bis painful
task. Lash sfter lash did that guilty woman cause
him 70 place upon the already msngied form Of his
little sister until her wrath was in manner appeas-
ed. After the little boy was through with MS task
she (his step-mOther) gathered rod and gave him
severe beating, she said, for whipping his sis
tez. She then exacted promise from tn boy, that
II ever he should be questioned as 10 the whipping
Of the child he was to state that he did il while his
mother was from home. She made him premise this
under threat, fever divulged, she would kill him.
In day or so the little girl died A few of the
neighbors gathered in to assist in making prepare
lions to assign its body to the grave. On removing
the clothes from the childs body, the ladies were
horror struck by the bruises and scars found upon
Its form. They asked how it occurred. cool an
swer was given BY the step-mother stating that her
brother did IT, The adde's then questioned the boy
and he confessed that he did il ALL It was soon de-
cided BY those present that it was not possible that
g child Of his age should mangle form in such a
manner. Suspicion to the true facts Of the case
were aroused, and private examination Of the
boy was had but no clue TO the facts could be OBJ
tsiEed until they assured him that be should not be
hurt IL he would tell the truth Upon this assurance
the boy disclosed the whole facts as detailed above
The committee that were engaged in eliciting the
true character Of the affair from the boy examined
Aim also and found upon his body bruises which were
really siokening 70 obseTve These facts Of course
were sufficient to establish in the minds Of that COM
nittee that his assertions were true.
The woman was taken into custody forthwith, but
no proof could be addueed-save thato the little
boy-tO establish legal course Of law against her
Those present suppOsiDg that the evidence of the
boy Wss not valid as he was TOO young, consequent
u she was set 81 liberty.
Certainly she will not go very long thus unpunish
ed, the laws eff our country cannot and will not be
tramped upon in this style. If there can be no plan
suggested and no legal course pursued 10 bring her
to justice by law fear that the citizens villa rise
On HGsss and punish her as shejustly deserves.