The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-31
An Interesting Habeas Corpus Gas

An Interesttng Habeas Corpus Case
During the latter part of the last ses-
sion of the Alexander county court,
Judge Bross presiding, a petition was
filed by John 4. Sewers on behalf Of
Henry Taylor, the infant son of Hiram
Taylor, aged three and half years,
against Hiram Taylor and his stepmother,
Nancy Taylor, the petition being filed
on the grounds Of alleged cruelty to the
child by the father and stepmother.
The proof showed that some four
months after the death of the child's
mother the defendants inter-married
and that within short time thereafter
it become neighborhood talk that the
child was being abused by its step
mother. That the general neighborhood
talk was continued up to the time OF
presenting the petition. The proofs fur
ther showed that the stepmother was
constantly In the habit OF whipping
the child, and at times numerically
and often without any apparent cause
whatever.
On some occasions she would snatch
the child, when quiet, from its father,
and set it down upon the floor in a
violent manner, saying: to the father,
"what are you nursing that child for:'
or words to that effect. That the child
was not permitted to drink any water,
scarcely at all, the reason being given
by her that it did not agree with it
that it had the diarrhpa. That on one
occasion the child was discovered drink
ing water out Of wash basin, and was
seized by its mother with one hand while
she beat it with the other in most cruel
and brutal manner.
On another occasion, when she was
leaving home and the child attempted to
follow her, she went to it, struck it in
the face with her hand, causing its nose
to bleed profusely. In the language of
one of the witnesses, at least half-pint,
when, by application OF cold water. they
succeeded in stopping the flow of
blood. The mother then got a switch
and whipped the child for considerable
length of time.
1t also appeared in the evidence that on
another occasion when it was extremely
cold, she stripped the child entirely
naked, broke the ice in a vessel out
doors and washed the child in the ice
water, and after having washed it
sat 1t naked before the stove,
and according to her own account
the child's arms were burnt while sitting
there. But according to the testimony
of another witness, the child when asked
how it was done, said "mama held
my hands on the stove" The evidence
further showed that the father on sew
eral occasions whipped the child out of
reason, and that both of them would oc.
casionally 90 to church, or visiting
among the neighbors, both in summer
and winter, leaving the child
alone. On a very extremely cold
day, the father being absent,
the mother visited neishbor and re-
malned there about half day. On COM
ing into the house, she remarked that
her house was quite open, and 1t was so
cold she couldn't stay there. The lady
whom she was visiting asked her what
she had done with the child, when she
said in reply, she had lett it at home !;
that she built big fire in the stove and
left it there by itself. The lady then
asked her why she did not bring the
child with her. and she said it was too
mean.
There was much other evidence of like
import, and no denial on the part of the
step-mother; and but little answer made
by the father, he claiming that the child
had not been abused, so far as he knew.
lie admitted, however, upon crOss-exam-
nation, that she had sometimes
whipped 1t In his presence harder than
he thought she had any right to have
done; and on one occasion he had threat
ened 70 taksthe child away aud give n to
the petitioner, ITS uncle.
The defendants were represented By,
Judge Hoffner. OF Pulaski county.
Judge Mulkey appeared tor the petitioner.