Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-01-18

CASE.-1he Telegraph mentioned on
Friday morning. the case of man
named Charles Williams, in Norwich,
Conn. who was alleged to have starv-
ed his child, a girl of thirteen years
of age, and also gave brief account
of some disturbance which had arisen
in the neighborhood in consequence
of the affair. From a long article in
the Norwich Bulletin we CLEAN the fol-
lowing additional particulars:
The child, who is girl near thir-
teen years, named Eunice, called ca
gerly for water, and when it was Civ
Ell her, drank with such avidity as to
astonish the beholders. She stated
to them that she had been without
food or drink for forty-eight hours
She was taken into her fathers house,
when Mr. Williams appeared and or
dcred the gentlemen who carried
her to leave the premises. The
child's statements, however, an d
her pitiable condition, led them to
send for Selectman Case % investi-
gate the matter. The facts divulged
showed treatment so inhuman that
Mr.. Case ordered the child to be ia
ken to a neighbours where she might
be kindly treated. Mr.. Williams OBJ
.jected, but an intimation that GRIMM
al process in his case might be pro-
cured, led him to withdraw his objec-
tons.
From the child's story and her IA
theirs own admission, it seems that
for three weeks she has been confined
to a room, part of the time in a clos
ct some eight feet long by two wide.
with no food but one bowl of Cruel
per day, and that for forty-eight hours
she had been without food or drink
of any kind whatever, and forbidden
to speak to her father. Almost starry
ed, the poor child made the attempt
to escape which resulted in her deliv-
erance. Her story is borne out by
her physical appearance, she having
been reduced from blooming healthy
child, to mere skeleton, while on
her feet are chilblains that the doctor
pronounced the worst that he had
ever seen. She had nothing but thin
night clothes on when she escaped.
Mr.. Williams Justification of him
self was that he was determined to
break the child's spirit, as she was
stubborn and would not work with
alacrity, his theory being that the
proper way to manage a child is to
subdue it when young. His house
keeper also complained that the child
would not work steadily.
Mr.. Williams. however. admitted
that the child has committed no seri-
Gus fault, and it is supposed in the
nelghborh00d that the treatment NAV
have been the result of the child hay
ing expressed opinions as to other
family matters. Mr.. Williams is an
ardent Spiritualist, and entertains pc
cullar ACTIONS on many subjects which
are not acceptable to his neiehbor
hood.
On Thursday evening the excite
menI became So intense that crowd
lot goo persons, evidently bent on Vi
olener, assembled IN frQ't Of Will
hams house and broke down The
door Williams appeared in the en-
try armed with an AK for the purpose
of oelt-detense. The crowd com
menced al assault upon him. when he
rushed ont OF the houSe-having re-
.ceNed ii severe blow under the eve
from club-and took refuge ia the
store Of Sherman d Dennison.
Ihe crowd pursued and affairs were
looking aqually for Williams. who was
attempting to defend himself with the
AK, when selectman Case and others
lnteriered' and after some expostuIa-
ton induced the crowd to retire. =
Subsequently Williams and the house
keeper were brought down town on
complaint for breaking the peace and
put III charge Of the police. A legal |
investigation of the whole affair will
be commenced at once. !