Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-08-29
From I'i,iit l-tp' il y 70.
ssFEFEF KAVE AI.sgGSk' KILLED
ME-,
Horrible 'Tre:stmcnt oI NoEgnG.
Girl in PhitaGciDnia- She Escapes
by Drawing Nails W ith her Feet II.

BefOre Alderman BeItler, nj the Cen
trail Station "Wednesday afternoon, Il
hearing was given to two females, who.
if the evidence against them is true.
are most villanous wretches.
Their names are Josephine Rowland
an elderly woman. and her daughter,
Sarah Jane Baptist, both residing at
70t DickerSon street
Ten years ago the wife of Jonathan
Rowland, resident of Southwark
died, and within year after he mar
ried the eldest defendant, who had Il
daughter, the other defendant, by Il
former marriage. Rowland had three
children by the first wife Margaret,
the eldest, aged thirteen Mary Eliza
beth, aged ten and Il boy Of four
years. Within a year after the mar
riage the eldest girl was SO badly
treated that she was forced to leave
her home. Finding shelter among
friends, she earned her living for sew
cral years, and finally married a young
man named Sailor, with whom she
now lives at 1Gf Norris street. From
the time she left her home until the
death OF her father, which took place
about December II, 1871, the eldest
girl was not permitted to see LcI
brother and sister.
On Sunday morning last Mrs. Rosct
tn Wilson, an elderly lady residing at
4}S Dickerson street, was awakened
| about ) y. NJ, by IL noise ut the back
gate. She arose on slipping on hel
dress ran down to her yard. and open
ing the gate beheld trembling sheie-
ton, clothed IN rags and scarcely aware
| Of life, who said to her: "Thcy have
almost killed me, and I have come to
| You ut last"
Mrs. Wilson recognized her as Mary
Elizabeth Rowland, the second daugh-
| ter of Mr. Rowland, who had three
weeks before fled to her with tale oi
horrible treatment. hut who had he!
taken away with Sarah Jane Baptist
under Il threat Of prosecution by ;hc
! girls father. She took the girl into
the house and found her clothed in Z:
rag of calico. not half concealing he,
nakedness The kind woman waShe,
her, clothed her, ana fed her, and thel
heard her story, which was this:
That after her fathers death she wa
beaten and abused, and finally con
fined to her room, from which she wat
taken twice a day to her meals. Tina
t1Ire was began. That after that dat
she was confined to her room and he
hands tied behind her, for fear sin
would escape, and after midnight onI,
she was released aud taken n,lt of he
room and fed on bread Ond water
| About two weeks since even this lndUi
cence ceased She WAS still cOntine'
and fed only at the same interval wit
bread and water, but lot permitted t
leave her room. In addition t" thi
the common decencies of confinemel
were denied her.
Mrs. Wilson kept the unfortnnat
girl until Monday morning, whcl
finding her rapidly sinking. size Sc,
} for her sister who took her homo
where she is Row kindly cared for.
To her she told the same story, All
Lated HAT she effected her escape O
Sunday morning hy actually drawin
the nails from the sash in the room
which she was confined with her tptt
and then, getting out on Il shed, G.
capped through the yard into Il haC
| street. from which she made her eacal
: to Mrs. Wilson's.
DIR. S. Creadicl1. 1,30i South Fifi
: street, who was called III to attend Il
sufferer, in addition to the above, tr
. tilted Yesterday that he found the gi
: very low and i'll n dangerous condition
= so attenuated that she seemed hard
capable of supporting life.
: The accused We're committed witiin
i bail for further hearing.