Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-08-01
8aftsmal,'s s Joarnal.
CLEARFIELD, Pa, AUGUST /, 1866.
Inhuman Torture of Negroes.

General Howard has received voluminous
'eports concerning the cruelties practlsed by
Mrs. Henry Abrahams, of King Williams
county Virginia, upon her servants. The
matter came toiight through the investlga
ZION set on foot about month ago. The
reports show that on the second OF June a
reed girl, named Martha Anne, aged II,
vas brought to hospital at Richmond.
fhe surgeon states that there We're upon her
)ody seven ulcers, all the results of burns
ind all produced within two or three weeks
The largest was nearly two inches in diane
ter. In addition to these her entire body
was almost covered with scars, some old and
some covered with recent scales, some the
'esult OF burns, and some the result of whip
ping. She had been SO abused that she was
1carcely able to give expression to an intel
lgent idea. The investigation made before
the Judge Advocate at Richmond proved
hat this monster, Mrs Abrahams, whom
laf the lawyers of the city volunteered to
lefend, has within the last few years been
he cause of the death of four of her negro
'eryants. An extract from the report Is
iubjoined
''Lucy Richardson mother of the girl ia
ken to the hospital, has been made blind of
one eye and has been SCARED in the throat
with hot iron. Five of the children of
said Lucy Richardson, named Martha Anne
and Mary Ellen, twins, aged sixteen
George, aged nine, Francis, aged eleven,
and Robert, aged seven and a half years.
have on many different occasions each of
them been placed in nude state before the
fire until their backs We're actually broiled,
and then whipped with birch rod on the
back until 1t was raw, when strong salt and
pepper water was rubbed on and they were
whipped again. Francis died in February,
yk,.b i, ,.,{
said Mrs Abrahams by being stamped up
on. The children, while being tortured,
had their feet aud hands bound, and were
bucked to keep them from struggling or re-
sisting. The house would be closed while
they were being burned and whipped, but
then their cries would be heard for long
way. They would often faint away and
Mrs. Abraaams would continue to strike
them with poker, saying, You're dead,
are you Ii make you catch your breath.
After the punishment they could not lie nor
sit down, and had to stand up number of
consecutive days and nights Before the
children recovered from their injuries Mrs
Abrahams would scar them with hot Goals,
or with a hot iron. She never had SER
want without scars from her hands, and
never did day pass that some servant did
not receive torture.
Sarah cambridge, milkmaid, was told to
get all the milk she could in time for dan
cling party, and because she did not answer
soon enough Mrs. Abrahams tortured her
to such an extent that she drowned herself
in the creek.
Eliza Hill was beat over the head with
an iron poker, and pieces of flesh were cut
from her head and face with knife, by
Mrs. Abrahams, until she became blind In
both eyes. She afterwards died from these
injuries
The evidence fully establishes numerous
instances of assault with intent to wound,
main, disfgure, disable. or kill Much sof
this crueIy has been practiced since the fall
of Richmond. Burning on the bare back
with live Goals OF fire seems TO have been a
common punishment. Whipping was done
with clubs. tongs, pokers, fire-shoyels, &c
Mary and Frances were twice taken 10 a
nnnd and half drowned