The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-04-23
Little Mary Ellen.

one continued flow Of christian sympathy, and
| it was to be expected that when he heard OF
the sufferings of little Mary Ellen Wilson, as
detailed below, he would rush to her relief al
though she did not come precisely under his
jurisdiction as the President of the Society for
| the prevention Of cruelty to animals. Here is
the story of wrong and cruelty, of suffering and
sorrow. 1t will touchthe hearts OF all who may
read it: slalgfif'b aset1" 9ifg- fiti-
At the instance of Mr.. Henry Bergh, Judge
Lawrence, Of the Supreme Court Chambers at
New York, few days ago sent to the nlatron OF
the police central office a child named Mary 3.
Wilson, eight years of age, taken from Francis
and Mary Connolly, Of SIS West Forty-tirst st.
The following is substantially the story Of the
little walt, as elected before Judge Lawrence
on Friday and Saturday last:
Mrs. Mary Connolly is about thirty-eight
years of age, and has been twice married. Her
first husband, Thomas Mccormack, had three
children by another woman, whose name was
WILSON. Mary Ellen, when something oyertWo
years of age, was taken by them from this wo-
man and regularly indentured as Mary Ellen
Wilson. During the past five years the child
has been kept in almost solitary confinement in
room from which the fresh air and the sun
were alike excluded. Day after day the neigh
bors heard the sound of blows and the wailings
OF child in pain Still nothing was DONE
They never saw the child. 1t was no business.
of theirs to interfere. Fortunately christian
lady was asked to visit a woman who lay dying
in the same house. The cries of q child rang
out in the all, and the dying woman told her
visitor of the horrible cruelty practiced daily by
Mrs. Connally. The lady went to Mr. Bergh,
and the latter with noble promptitude, imme-
diately set to work and rescued the waif from
her tyrant. Then the little girl, pale and thin
with great WeltS on her face, and the scars Of an
old wound caused by pair Of scissors, stood up.
in court and told her sorrowful story. L ~
In reply to the questions asked her she said;
II don't know how old I am; my mother
and father are both dead /; / have no recollec-
ton OF a time when I did not, live with the
'Connolly's; call Mrs. Connolly mamma I
have never had but one pair of shoes, but can't
recollects when that was; have had no shoes
OF stockings on this winter; I have never been
allowed to go out of the rooms where the Con-
nally's live except in the night time, and then
only in the yard; have never had on a parti-
Gle OF flannel; my bed at nightis only a piece
Of carpet, stretched on the floor underneath
window, and [ sleep in my little unoergarment,
with a quilt over me mamma has been in the
habit Of whipping and beating ME almost every
day; she used to whip me with q twisted whip,
a raw hide; the whip always left black and
blue marks on my body; have now on my
head two black and blue marks which were
made by mamma with the whip, and cut on
the left side Of my forehead, which was made
by q pair OF scissors in mammals hand; she
struck me with the scissors and cut me; have
no recollection of ever having been kissed, and
have never been kissed by mamma never
dared to speak to anybody, because if [ did
would get whipped l never have had, to my
recollection, any more clothing than have on
at present, q calico dress and shirt; !, whenever
mamma went out [ was locked up in my bed
room; the pair OF scissors with which mamma
struck me are those now shown me | don't
know for what was Whipped mamma never
said any thing to me when she whipped me; /
do not want to go back to live with mamma be-
cause she beats me so; I have no recollection
Of ever being in the street in my life.' fs ~ Y
Other witnesses testified to having seen hep
in passing the door at work with the dishes or
sewing, clad in the coolest weather, i'm a thin
slip, cowhide lying near her, and every Inca
ment OF her tiny features and every part Of her
attenuated form bearing evidence Of heartless
cruelty and wrong Her rescue seems provi-
dental. y
Mrs. Connolly was present in court, and
made statement denying i'll treatment, and at
times speaking saucily andsavagely to the effect
that the persons who had brought the matter
before the public were medtlling, with what
did not concern them. The case WAS adjourned
for further hearing. In the mean time many
persons Of wealth have sought to get the poor
child for adoption. Nt'"
The object Of this practical syrlpathy, wrap
ped in the lap robe with which the officers had
covered her, was surrounded in the court room
by the ladies and gentlemen'who had made her
cause their own among them Mrs. c. G..
Wheeler and two friends, Mr.. Bergh, land Messrs
Gerry and Mcneil, her COUNSEL The child
seemed to have lost some Of her feeling of fear
and chatted with her protectors, her small
! pinehed face tightening up at their expressions
Of kindness. It is said that Mrs. Wheeler, after
investigating the case thoroughly, found it very
difficult to interest any one in behalf Of the
child until she met Mr.. Bergh. When the po-
lice officers visited Mrs. Connolly's house the
child ran from them and covered in a corner OF
the room, trembling with a. fear which she
could not control. She could not comprehend
Kindness, and knew no other happiness than
escape from blows. XVIII '55a n
She had never. heard a kind word, never been
kissed or caressed by mortal creature, and spoke
| as. if she did not Know but that stripes and
| blows were the fate OF all ilfantile humanity
| She.evinced no luminosity against her persecll-
| tors, but stated that she had never known any
| other treatment. She was thin and pinclled
| with hunger and cold-not the momentarylde-
| privation Of food and warmth, hut lifelong con-
tinued and habitual want OF sufficient food and
clothing which results in a gradual wasting Of
| the powers OF body and mind She was too
small for her age-stHnted by herwretchtd life,
and her poor little wits had had such scanty
cherished that she possessed hardly more than
speech and fear. She had never been allowed to
see other children, and knew nothing of the
world outside Of tlieirooms Of the Connollys.-
| She, however, evnced quick gratitude
at the kindness shown her by Mr.. Bergh and
the officers, and when lady who was in the
| court house stopped and gave her the first kiss
| she had--ever received, she threw her arms a.
round her neck and shed tears Of joy. She sat
in the courtroom with her starved and stllnted
form wrapped in alap-robe which had been be-
slowed on her by the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals. Though seven or eight
years of age, Mary Ellen is not more developed
than an ordinary child OF three or four years.
| Her eyes, are sunken, and have a glazed and
frightened appearance. On the left side of her
| face were two deep scars. Besides the lap-robe
she was attired only in a, well-worn calico body,
and short pettiooat, hardly reaching below her
middle. He feet and limbs were bare, as they
had been for four years. The girl sat upright
in her chair, the robe folded closely around her,
| and gazed timidly at the ladies whom interest
in,her case had drawn to the courtroom When
! spoken to, she would start nervously, unable
evidently to overcome the habits Of years -ii
@iisetA -----s - -------l s;{ ~.
| Nine-tenths of the alleged inhumanitv Of
mankind is owing to their being deceived. II
people are sure Of an accident or calamity.
crowds hasten to relieve it. BY veracity we
charm in conversation; by trustworthiliess we
render friends loving and secure, and to the
4 general confidence of men in men, and by thus
Strengthening the foundation of society, acquire