The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-11-16
From the Cincinnati Commercial, Nov. l3.l
FROM DECENCY TO SHAME.
A Beautiful school Mistress nud Her
3Eounger Sister Voluntarily Ruined

- oaHBS bul uCu.
A terrible story of shame was revealed
yesterday, in the office of the Chief OF
Police. The incidents of this sad reve.
lation are almost beyond compreheN-
sion, in their popularity. The principal
subject is a young woman of eighteen
years, born, raised, and well-educated
in this city, admitted, some time since,
as substitute teacher in the Second
District School, on Sycamore street,
and, two weeks since, regularly appoint
ed as permanent teacher, at $400 pei
annum.
In appearance she is extraordinarily
attractive, with handsome form, neat.
ly clothed, and beautiful and expires
sive face, with dark eyes, long lashes,
small, shapely mouth and cheek roses,
relieving a pure white face. With this
character, Miss Mary c. G., whose
widowed mother lives in the western
part of the city, appears her younger
sister, of sixteen years-who, up to last
Friday, was a pupil in the A grade OF
the school in which her elder sister
taught up to that time. Yesterday af.
ternOon, at about o'clock, both oi
these young people were taken out of a
house of ill-fame, on Sixth street, east oi
Sycamore, by Detective Hazen and Off.
Ger Petit.
Last Saturday evening they left their
mothers house, under pretext of going
to the exhibition at Mozart Hall, and
never returned. Information of the
disappearance being given to the Chief
of Police. diligent search was made
throughout all the moro prominent
houses of ill-fame in the. city, but with,
out success, until yesterday afternoon.
In the Chiefs office both girls passed
without a blush, through the ordeal OF
interlocution, eviucing throughout q
hardihood that seemed very remarkable
when it was remembered that they
were fresh from decent home and from
the associations Of the school-roon
The elder occasionally spoke for both
and i'll everything that she said, her Sis
ter appeared TO sustain her. She stated
that she had had enough of the school
rosm-that her mother had abused hel
for years, and that she had taken this
last step deliberately, and did not in
tend to retrace it. She would not, un
der any circumstances, go back to hel
home. Her sister csuld do so if she de-
sired. The sister appeared to be offend
ed that a hint of such desire on her
part should be uttered, and finally stated
that she would follow her elder sister
From the Chiefs office the girls wer,
taken to the Office of the School Board
where they were confronted by theil
gray-haired mother. They met hel
coldly, and responded to her tears and
entreaties by reminding her that since
their fathers death, and up to the hour
of their flight, she had abused them
and had frequently said she did moi
care how soon the elder one left her
The Mayor, the Chief of Police, and
several others, strongly advised and
urged them to yield to their mothers
prayers aud remain ut home. But they
had no melting mood to eXhibit-no
tears to shed-no concessions to make
Cold as icicles, they sat there, before
their weeping mother and half a dozen
men, and adhered to their terrible choic,
of a career. They were threatened with
the House of Refuge, but appeared tc
understand that their age saved them
from that institution.
"Yeu must 60 home or be locked up,
said the Chief.
"Well," said Mary, quietly rising,
"Fm ready TO be locked up"-and the
other echoed her words. And so they
were taken down stairs, into the Ninth
Street Station, and locked within the
private cell, to see what effect thai
would have upon them; and there they
passed the night, while their mother
went home.
In all our experience we have never
come upon n sadder case of the kind
than this. Their situation gives proc
of the need of an institution wherein
such cases can be dealt with for the
good of the unfortunate one. They art
too old to be sent to the House of Ref
uge, where they might be reclaimed
The Home of the Friendless will not re
ceive them as unwilling guests. To
send them to the Female City Prison a!
vagrants would be to ruin them fastel
than their own course. So there j!
nothing left but to discharge them, thii
morning, and let them go their way. /
they could only look into the terrible
future of shame, misery, disease ant
death that is before them-or know, a
do those much more experienced, the
horrors OF the life they choose to lead
their steps this morning would take
them to their home, however unpleas
ant that may be to them, and theil
thoughts would turn to reformation
even through most abject poverty.
/