Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-09-08

Sentenced for killing one ofh,s Pupils.
The London IinseS,in speaking of crime
in England, says that the "Summer Assize
in that county have already produced ma
ny startling cases and as the eye glanccs
over columns, and speeds from crime, to
crime, the readers shudders at the glimp- |
ses which ever and anon he obtains of the
depths of depravity of our common nature
and Of the fearful agencies of our worst in
stincts Terrible deeds of vengeance, COM
mittcd upon slight provocation, are proved
against men of orderly lives and good pre-
vious conduct. Cruelties without evil mo.
tive and which only could proceed from a
savage nature, indulging its impulses un-
der the self deception that duty and cruel
ty 60 hand-in.hand, are made evident
against men whom society has respected,
and to whom parents have confdcd the
care of their children"
The particular case to which the Times
in this article alludes, is that of hlr. Hop
ley, middlc-aged man of gcntlemanly ap-
pearancc preceptor of a family school, who
was tried in London week before last, on
the charge of killing one of his pupils,
named Reginald Channel Chancellor, the
son of man Of fair position in society
! for the board and instruct ion of whom Mr..
/
Hopley was to receive 5000 per year. it
is asserted that the instructor mistook the
mental condition of the lad, and attributed
his stupidity, really caused by water on the
brain, to obstinacy, and undertook to beat
him into brighter mental condition.
What befcl the poor lad, We give from the
report of the 1imeS.
One morning young Chancellor was
found dead in his bed. The body was
carefully covered over. 1t had white kid
gloves upon its hands, and long stockings
drawn over the thighs; nothing was visi.
bic but tho face. Hopley suggested that
the boy had died Of disease Of the heart,
and wished a certificate Of the surgeon and
( immediate burial. At one moment it ap.
peared likely that the whole affair would
be hushed up. But numerous stories Of
midnight shricks aud blood stained instru-
ments Of punishment began to be whisper
ed about. The servants Lad seen blood
upon the linen in Mrs Ioploys room, and
had heard that sounds which convinced
that the miserable wife had spent the night
in the frightful task of preparing the body
to pass IL superficial investigation, and get
ting rid of the traces Of violence which
would testify against her husband.
Then came the real Investigation. The
gloves and the stockings were stripped off
and the legs and arms of the corps were
found to be covered with extravasated
blood the "ccllular membranes under thc
skin Of the thi chs were reduced to Il per.
feet Jelly, Fact, all torn to pieces and lac
rated by the blows that had been inflicted
There were two holes in the right leg a
bout the size of Il sixpence, and an incl
deep, which appeared to have been made
by jabbing thick stick into the flesh
The appearance was that of human crea
ture who had been manglcd by an infuria
ted and merciless assailant. All these ap
pcerances coincidcd but too faithfully witt
what we now learn of the conduct of tn,
schoolmaster.
y servant girl who slept next to the pu
pils-room heard the boy crying and scream
ing under blows, and her master talking
and beating. She listened at 10 o'clock
when the torture was going on, and she a
woke at twelve, and it was still proceed
ing Then the cries suddenly ceased ant
nothing more was heard during that un
quiet night but the stealthy movements o
the wife, who was, with womanly devotion
doing her fearful task of hiding the trace
of the tragedy.
The trial resulted in the conviction o
Hoploy, who was sentenced to four year
penal servitude.