, 1866-07-27

A BEAsTLY OFFENoE.-A man named
Samuel Stratton was arranged in the Police
Court yesterday on charge of assault and
battery. Stratton is a mulatto, nearly hfty
years old, who has, we believe, made his liv-
ing by job work around town, and who has
occupied room in the rear Of building on
II street, near Fourteenth He appeared in
the Dock yesterday with a healthy looking
countenance, his face and head having been
badly demoralized by kicks and blows. City
Attorney Heacock stated to the Court that
he would gladly prefer against the defen-
dent more serious charge then that of as.
sault and battery, il the law would bear him
out, but on thorough examination and con,
sultation with other attorneys, he was satisfied
that the evidence in:the case would not sus.
tain charge Of assault to commit rape. He
then called to the stand young man named
George Mason, who testified that on Satur-
day last, while on a visit to the house of a
friend on ii street, near Fourteenth, the la>
dy told him she thought there was somef
thing wrong going on in the adjoining
house, as the colored man IStratton) was in
the habit Of having little white girl to come
there frequently, when the members OF the
family in the front part of the house we're
absent. Mason went to the house referred
to and finding the doors closed, looked in at
the window. He there saw the girl referred
to and the negro The testimony at this
point described the most beastly conduct
which We ever heard narrated, and is of
course unfit for publication. Itsappears that
the negro had been in the habit of bribing
the girl to expose her person by giving her a
bit at time, or by furnishing her with can
dy and cakes. Mason stated in his testimor
ny that he jumped in at the window, knock
ed Stratton down, beat and kicked him,
dragged him out of the house, Knocked him
down beat and kicked him again, and then
kicked him down ii street far as Judge Rob.
insOn's Witness would have killed him,
but he was an old man, made no resistance,
begged SO hard for mercy that he had no
heart to punish him any more. Witness tess
tilted that the girl seemed to make no resis-
lance to the actions of Stratton. Officer
Harry, testified that he had arrested STRAIT
ton, and the defendent had made certain ad-
missions as to his guilt. The girl was plac>
cl upon the stand. She testified that she
had gone there on former occasions to meet
S!ratton, and that O.: Sunday he had given
her a bit. The defenaent had no counsel in
Court. He admitted tie main points proven
by the testimony, but stated that the girl
had come and urged him to give her money
for which she had made the profer of per-
sonal exposure, etc. Stratton was found
guilty as charged He will be sentenced toS
day. The limit of the law is one year in the
county Jail. Here we have not only the dis
gushing picture of the crime of the defenr
dant, but the no less terrible fact that an ap-
parcutly bright and intelligent girl has, at
the age Of eleven years, fallen to the depth
OF degradation described. There is some
reason to fear that she has earned money
from whites as well as from blacks in simi
lar manner The fatherof the child is dead
The mother, who is q German woman, makes
her living by washing hes.-Sacramea,
to JHjoH