Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-04-17
Terrible Case of cruelty to Child.

natural cruelty. BY some means 1t be-
came known that one Connolly and wife
we're keeping child of some eight years
of age, and that they kept her closely
confined in dark room much OF the
time, never allowed her to go out, fire.
quently whipped her though no reason
is known for it, clothed her very scantily
and did not give her sufficient food
Henry Berg, the well known protect
or Of dumb animals, heard of it and i'm
medately caused writ of hdbeas corpus
to be issued, and the girl brought be-
fore Judge Lawrence, ON Thursday of
last week. The case excited much in
terest and sympathy. The Tribune says
that while Mr.. Mcneil was eliciting from
the little waif the story of her wrctched
life, a crowd gathered and formed ring
of sympathizing listeners. The little
girl appeared stunted in growth, was
dressed in a thin, threadbare, red striped
calico dress, low in the neck and not
reaching to her knees Under this she
| had ore cotton under-garment, no stock
ings, no shoes and no hat. Over this
apology for dress the officers had kind
ly thrown lap-robe, aud from this the
| little pinched white face stretched out,
and the small brown eyes peered forth in
wonder at such unwonted tenderness
The hands and feet, large and rugged
showed the plain marks Of great expos
ure She seemed an unusually intelli-
gent child, taking into consideration her
unhappy lack of opportunities, and her
smile, as she turned to her charitable
friend, Mrs. Wheeler, and thanked her
for the bread and cake she was eating,
was pleasil e and childlike, despite the
characteristic cold " expression. Her
statement, as given t. the lawyers, and
partially in their language, was as fol,
flows:
"My nameis Mary Ellen Mccormack
[ don't know how old am; my mother
and father are both dead | have no
recollection of time when | did not
live with the Connollys; call Mrs. Con-
molly mamma; | have never had but
one pair of shoes, but can't recollect
when that was; have had no shoes or
stockings on this winter; I have never
been allowed to go out OF the rooms
where the Connollys live except in the
night time, and then only in the yard
| have never had on particle Of fan
mel my bed at night is only piece of
carpet, stretched on the floor, underneath
a window, and sleep in my undergar-
ment with quilt over me; am never
allowed to play with any children OF
have any company whatever; mamma
MRS. Connolly has been in the habit Of
whipping and beating me almost every
day; she used to whip me with 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 a cut on the left,side
of my forehead, which was made by 8
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 | have never been takel
ON my mammals lap, or caressed or pet
ted | never dared speak to anybody
because if | did | would get whipped
| never have had, to my recollection, an,
more clothing than | have on at the pres
ent, calico dress and skirt; | have seel
stockings and other clothes in cur room
but am not allowed to put them on
whenever mamma went out | was LOCKED
in the bedroom the pair of scissors will
> which mamma struck me, are those nov
: shown me by Mr.. Evans | don't know
# for what was whipped; mamma never
i said anything to me when she whipped
f me; | do not want to go back to liv
with mamma because she beats me so;
have no recollection of ever being in tn
e street in my life"
!; On Saturday the testimony of Mr.
J Mary Smith, who is dying in room &C
i joining the Connollys, was taken. Sh
is states that she has seen cowhide lyin
l. on table in Connolly's room, and ever
y morning since they came that she hear
f. Mrs. Connolly whip the child around tn
J. rooms with cowhide, and sometime
IS twice day the child all the time scream
G. ing, "Oh mamma mammal" Not
D. sound is ever heard from the child da
s. or night except on these occasions, an
p she never speaks to any one but dar
K back in terror and locks the door; Il
D. child used to sleep in corner of Il
o, room on the floor; Mrs. Connolly to
'e the witness that the child was lit
devil and knew more than girl of tt
or eleven, and she couldn't have bi
n or a sup unknown to her husband, as Il
u child told him everything.
Ill "BILL HoAR."-One of the prom
be Kent physicians of Boston was accost
ne by his son with, Father, do you THU
ms Bill Hoar will get Mr.. Summers place
cd tho Ganate9', Thatcher ranl;ad aLVI