The Shasta courier., 1868-11-21
SHASTA COURIER.
Inhuman monsters.

A case came under the notice of the police
Yesterday which brought to light an act O
the very greatest inhumanity and cruelty L
a little orphan girl, such as few people would
hardly believe in this enlightened age, and
in this section of the country, and which
showed, in a striking light, the terrible de,
pravity Of an individual named Pepper, and
his wife, who move and have their being IN
the suburb Of Chelsea The facts of the case
are to the following effect About two years
ago little fatherless girl, named Mary Ann
Smith. and who is DOW between AZ ana l5
wears of age. was deprived Cf the care of her
mother by death, and was adopted by this
man Pepper and his wife. who hive on Third
street, Chelsea.
The Girl, who seems to have good share
of intelligence. had only been an inmate of
the Pepper establishment four weeks, when
he and his wife commenced course of the
most cruel treatment toward the poor orphan
child, such as only fends in human shape
could conceive and carry into effect. Ac-
cordng TO the testimony of the girl, told In
the presence Of several persons yesterday,
she has been half starved for the past two
years. and for the slightest fault she has been
stripped and fogged in the most unmerciful
manner so that there are large discolored
welts all over her body
By way of varying their feats of cruelty
they would tie the child up by the thumbs
and keep her suspended in that manner for a
considerable time. her cries and entreaties
not having the slightest effect, either on Pep
per or his wife.
On Saturday, however, their cruelty to the
poor orphan eliminated. During the fore,
noon she went into the garden and pulled up
some radshes and turnips. This, in the eyes
of Pepper and his wife seems to have been
considered a most heinous otfense and de-
serving of the most cruel punishment. The
girl was caught by the hair of the head by
Pepper, and dragged into the kitchen of the
house. She was next placed close to the
stove, and while the woman fiend held the
girl. the man monster heated poker till il
was red-hot, and then commenced literally
to tattoo the face, arms and hands of the
poor little helpless orphan.
She screamed. entreated, prayed, but all
in vain. Mrs. Pepper held firm grip of the
little child, while Pepper drew the led hot
poker at least twenty times across her face
hands and arms, until the girl was burnt il
the most dreadful manner.
Yesterday a woman who lives in the neigh.
borhood learned something Of what had been
going on, and, meeting the girl on the streets
with her face, hands and arms covered with
the marks of the heated poker. she inquired
who had inflicted such irightful injuries upor
her person. The child was first afraid To s. '
a single word about it, hut the woman insist
ed, and the " hole Of the dreadful story came
ont.
The police were at once applied to, ant
Pepper and his wife promptly arrested. The
little girl was taken before the Grand Jury
r'f the Municipal Court, where she completely y
shocked the gentlemen composing that bod J
hy the recital Of the crnelies She had to en-
dure at the hands Of Pepper and his wife for
the past two years.
The gri has been placed in charge of Mrs
Dickinson. wife Of one Of the police force
While the little girl was telling her moving
tlle. the material portions OF which are given
above, several of the fair sex, who were anx.
ious and excited listeners expressed some
W ,at emphatically that if the althoriti
would only place Pepper in their hands for a
few minutes, they would give him pepper
ing such as he would not forget till the last
day Of bis life
The entire matter will be thoroughly in
ycStigated to-day.