The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-06-27
4 Young Girl Dying ta Fttth.
THE MOST DEPLORABLE CASE OF INHUMAN-
ITY EVER BROUGHT To LIGHT
IN THIS CITY.

rrY EVER BROUGHT TO LIGHT
IN THIS CITY.
While the sickening details of the terri
BILE work of the Front street fend who en-
deavored to starve her children are yet
fresh in the minds of all, our readers will
scarcely be prepared to hear the following
sickening account Of case of inhumanity
that was unearthed by the police officials
in this city this morning
Adjoining Mohn's hat factory, on Maple
street below Chestnut, stands a small two
story frame house, No. 232, occupied by
w Hafuer, shoemaker, and family. In !
formation was received at the Mayors Of .
fee to the effect that poor child was re-
ceiviur grossly inhuman treatment at that
DIace This morning Chief Cullen, Dctec- /
tive Lyon, Sergeant I'utz and an Eagle re- ,
/ norter visited the premises. Hafner was
at work. and his wife, another female and
t baby occupied the rear back room. Chief
/ CuIien made his errand known, and Mrs.
/ Uafner said that her little daughter was
mn in her bed room, that she was subject
] to falling fits, and that was all. The
! Chief asked to be conducted to the room.
/ This WAS at first refused, but it was not
/ LONG. however, before the door leading up
a narrow stairway was opened. The party
ascendcd filthy flight of steps, uncarpct-
ed TO a low, narrow, small, filthy apart
/ ment under the roof.
The sight i'll the room was horrible. In
one corner upon an old wooden box was
curled up Ike dog, young girl aged
about twelve years. She was rolling i'll
filth, and there was nothing on her but a
torn calico dress. She had no stockings
ski t., shoes or collar; nothing save a
common thin calico skirt. The floor was
horribly filthy. and the room without ven
tilation. The poor little girl is deaf and
dumb, her person was absolutely hithy,
her limbs appearing as if they had not
, been washed for years. Her nails a re
long and her hair is cropped off very short.
When the party entered she raised up
, 7 and stared, and probably looked upon the
[ first strange faces she had seen for years.
: She could not speak word. Her hands
, were SCARED in several places, and her face
was dirt begrimed and scaly with filth.
She appeared as if she had been wallowing
; in dirt like some animal in a pen. The
2 officers of the law, accustomed to many
| hard sights. shut out the stencil from their
= nostrils, and stood in amazement as they
+ looked upon the deplorable spectacle.
The mother of the girl tells strange
story. Her name was Maria HOmmas be-
fore she was married to her present hus
/ band. Hafner. The mother stated that
5 about thirteen years ago she was knocked
, down by some unknown person who com
mitted rape upon her person. 1t hap
Z penCd in the night on Chestnut street, be
: tween Third and Fourth. After time
p, she gave birth to child, the same gin
o above alluded to- The girl was christeneC
Emma. The father of the child was never
known.
I The mother raised her child, and about
; nine yeaas ago was married to uatner
d Six years ago the young girl was attacked
r with falling fits, which she has been sub
7 iect 10 ever since. The motLcr stateC
: that the girl was subject to the attack
, about three times day.
Il Tie officers took IIafner and wife il
l. charge and conveyed the little girl anC
l. party in charge to the lock up. May"
f Evans convened Court Immediately anC
. the following witnesses were heard:
e Amelia Hayiiicker, 237 Maple street
5, testified to the deploTable case above stat
Y ed. Saw Hafner kick the child severa
: ! times. The little girls clothing for Ion.
20 time consisted of mans check shirt ant
nothing more. The neighbOrS had in
\, formed the Directors of the Poor, bu
n nothing had been done. The ill-treatmen
It had been going on year. The child OF
Y ten complained of not receiving suthclen
., to cat. Mrs. Hayficker testified to tn
= general ill-trCatment of the girl.
= Andrew Goldman lives next door. II
X testified that the parents were guilty G
A. gross neglect that they would spend a
ir their money during the week at the lage
= beer saloons, and would then work on Sun
!, day. That they would go away fror
VI home and leave the poor little girl locke
q up III her ilth alone. That complaint ha
a been made by the neighbors, and the off
GERS informed Of the facts. That food wa
ra given to the girl secretly.
~ Christie Ann Clemens, young lady rC
III siding in the neighborhood, also testiiie
NJ to the bad treatment meted out to tn
G. girl.
F After hearing the evidence, Mayor EN
;, ans remarked that it was almost beyOn
belief tEat so terrible a case of inhumanit
iu and neglect could exist in this city, and /
Of view OF the facts set forth, he felt justifie
ld III holding the stcp-father and the mOthe
nj of the child each in s., 600 bail to answt
\ at Court.
u At this announcement the mother bur-
Z into tears, while the dumb girl gaze
IL around upon the people assembled in IL
at Office, not knowing what going Ol
4d Her whole person appears to be covere
o with burns received by falling ON stow
y She is pefectly stiff and Sergeant Lutz w;
compelled to carry her about from plaC
n. to llace wherever she was wanted. tt
unnatural parents are said to own tt
he property they live in, and earned suffiCiel
he money to properly care for the unfortuna
,rt girl. Hafner and wife were committed
wv Jail in default of bail, the woman takir
lr. her baby with her. The girl, togeth'
of with two other children, were taken to tt
re- pOor-house. An order was issued to hay
lr. the hithy premises thoroughly cleahe'
ry particularly the filthy pen i'll which II
te, girl has passed nearly whole year in so
Ter tary confinement.
IL The above is the most deplorable case
cd the kind that has ever been brought
ty- light i'll this city, and it has Occasiont
ra- considerable excitement among the Pc
he pie of that section.-Reading Eagle, 19.
ut
III "A correspondent writing from Hill
cS' borough, Ohio, to a Cincinnati newspap pc
ie' tells what he has done to exterminate p
ay tato bugs. First, with no good result,
P' sprinkled upon the vines lime, ashes, pla