Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-02-14

From the Decatur lIll.l Magnet, Jan. 2al
A committee was lately appointed by
the Shelby county Supervisors TO exam
inc and Inquire into the condition of the
Poor Farm. The committee was accom-
panied by the editor OF the Commercial
who draws a ghastly and revolving pic
lure OF the h0rrId sights witnessed il
that institution. 1t has been an abode
of woe, famine and torture, the NOR
tunate inmates suffering slow, " iserable
deuhs! They were found huddled to-
gsther like beasts in 8 filthy shed, freez-
ing and starving! Daring the examins-
ton q half idiot boy was found with
black aud frozen feet, (mcTtihcatiOu had
set iD), owing to the iasGiliciency Of
clothing and shelter; the Snow and sleet
beat upon his bsd-the blankets were too
short and thin to cover his feet and they
were frozen The catalogue OF horrors
enumerated is enough TO sicken the
reader, and make him wonder ii we re-
ally live in the humane and enlightened
nineteenth century. The stoild, brutal
wretch who thus commits these crimes
upon his helpless victims, is richly de-
serving of the gsllows, and every be-
fever IN righteous retrioution will only
regret that the rack and thumc-screw Of
the middle ages cannot be revived, so
that the unnatural monster might be &C
eQuately and fitly punished.
The following fesfful summiNg up OF
charges we transfer TO our columns, in
the hope that the piOus and benevolent
people OF Central Illinois will perceive
that missionary work is of far more uT-
gent need here in our own midst than
among the Cannibals or HOttentots:
The panpeTs are fed On coarse corn
bread, fat pork ard rye coffee; no butter,
milk, nor sugar. Sick or we'll, the diet
is the same. Their washing is done by
crazy pauper named Eliza Jane Tiliey,
who also waits on the table and washes
| the dishes. Her filthy practices ID per-
| forming these duties are of such a dls-
gusting nature that dece1cy eomPels Us
| 10 withhold them. The neigh6ors nave
seen her twC-thirds nude, standing at the
wash-tub in front OF Prices house, ana
before HE family and the other paupers.
She has but one ragged dress7nor nave
any of the female paupers a change CT
clothing. Upto snort time ago the
male and female paupers have mingled
indiscriminately, day and night, IN The
one shed we spoke of. Upon several oc-
casions beastly pauper named Webster
and the idiot girl Tilley were discovered
=. A pAuper named VIM. john
son, thin, sickly, emacisted boy, was
cruelty beaten with q large stick, few
days ago, by the keepers wife, upon q
very trifiing provocstion.
Blackguardism, profanity and rowdy-
ism is the daily programme Of the Shelby
county Poor Farm.
No preacher of the Gospel has ever
been called there, no religious devOtions
have ever been held there; the dead are
buried without ceremony therei and,
reader, go there, if you would find hell
on earth go there, if you would learn
the details of the most dsmnable, black
ening shame that ever disgraced any
community.
A few weeks ago hslf-crszsd girl
named Lizzie Watkins died, andin new
shroud which came down only to her
knees, was put in a coffin and earted
down TO the woods, buried beside the
road, and her grave covered with brush.
No religious ceremonies were perf1rmed'
no slab shows her resting place, and over
it and around 1t Craze the cattle and wal
low the hogs, which roam at large
through the forest.
We could disclose many more disgrace
ful facts, but fOrbesr for the present.
The above Is go true that thirteen wit
nesses stand ready to substantiats II Oh
oath.