Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-06-15
GEORGE FLOWN.

SAD CAs.-Hssrtless Cruelty If Husband
sge, named John Refs, residing on High street,
just shove the reservoir, has of late rendered
cruel treatment Of his Wife and children, the he
former of whom Was rendered insane by his
conduct, and was sent to the insane asylum one
Of the neishbofs ana his children that he frs-
quently beat her with heavy sticks and pieces
OF plank, and on numerous occasions threatened
hard-working woman, and that she was accus-
TONED to go into the country daily above the
city and bring In OF her back bundles of brush
money to buy fuel, although he was, and ttiIi is.
employed In laying the new water main, and is
receiving the ordinary wages Of laborers. She
and those coenisant Of the facts are satisfied
that her alteration OF mind was caused
by the systematic cruelty Of her husband.
looking infant, perhaps fifteen months p old:
little boy about seven, and q girl about nine
years Of age. the latter fragile creature, Of
a n.G i've size Who does not appear 70 have
mon report, REFS has always treated his chill
dren badly, but especially since the mothers
brutality, by starving and beating them. For
long time past he has fed them on corn pone
alone, and had it not been tor the kindness of
1eighbors they would doubtless have starved TO
death. When the reporter of The STAR Wis.,
TIED the house of Res his morning he found a
scene Of wretchedness seldom encountered.
The father was away at his work, and the little
children were alone in the miserable shanty
which reeked with dirt and filth, ami Is
hardly ut for the occupancy of pigs.
In one corner of the room stood bed, on which
lay the infant referred 70, frequently in It's half
unconscious state, feebly raising it's puny hands
TO drive away the swarm of flies which settled
on its emaciated face. A few broken chairs, a
the bed, constituted the only furniture in the
room. When asked if her father ll-treated her.
little Maggie said he did; that last night, on
coming home and finding her on the pavement,
he took her by the hair Of the head and pullei
her in the house, after which he beat her fThis
the neighbors witnessed) When asked if he
to the bureau, she pulled out one of tie drawers
exposing loaf and a half of ordinary bread
and corn pone baked by himself day before
yesterday. She said that they 1.-THE children)
yesterday, and that their father forbid them to
touch the "white bread" as they called it.
The little girl said he sometimes had meat for
himself but never gave them any and when they
took any during his absence he always beat
tnem: he leaves them in the morning with in
structions not to leaYe the shanty under any
circumstances, and the neighbors SAYS inyaria-
pIy bests them when he finds them outside the
door: When asked how he used to treat her
mother, the little girl, Maggie, said: "He beat
her night and day with thick stick, like this
ana she went to a corner of the room and
brought ont huge hickory cane, at least two
"A
night to demonstrate with the brute for beating
his children, when he cursed and swore. and
SAID he would beat them as much as he pleased
and no one should prevent him. He further
threatened to get rid of the " whole ID lot as
soon as possible" The neighbors are Indignant
at his conduct, and are making an effort TO
have the children taken from him. The babe.
which is now quite i'll, will certainly die unless
II has proper care soon.
The PIEDMONT AND Potomac RAILROAD
Late advices from the Aide, Loudoun county,
Va, state that Col. Sheriff., president of the
fiedm0nt and Potomac Railroad Company.
with WIZ Pryor. chief engineer, Mr.. Derrick
resident engineer, and several assistant engi-
neers, are exploring the country, in the region
mentioned, with q view Of selecting route for
the new road.
The WHEAT AND FLOUR MARKET FOR THE
WEEK.-There has been scarcely anything done
IN the wheat market this week. Prices have
been about the same as last week. Some grades
OF flour declined last week from 25 to so cents
per barrel. The market has been steady this
week. ~
ARRIVAL OF GRAIN, &c.-The canal boat
Seneca has arrived with 203 barrels of fiour. AZ
bushels Of oats, and 200 bushels of offal for WIN
d. Dougal; $50 bushels of corn for b. Talbot g.
Son; and 210 bushels Of corn for Hartley s.
Brother.
SANITARY.-The employees of the board OF
health day began the work OF disinfection by
spr1nkiing the cutters with the disinfectants re-
Gently ordered by the board.
SHIPMENT OF FLouR.-The New York
steamer f. G. Knight cleared yesterday with
100 barrels OF four, shipped by our local mil