The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-21
DAMNIN6 OUTRAGE.
A YouthfuI Victim Of IN Old MANS
I}ust-The f0rdycs Bradbury
Rape Case "A Little
More Law Dc.
nandest.

W6lI, LuOuno DioAoe'yI
outrsging the person of Annie Laura
Fordyce, a becoming little miss OF four.
teen years, was tried and discharged
from custody, the evidence before the
Squire not being sufficient, in the opin'
ion of the court, TO hold the prisoner.
During the progress OF the trial, how
ever, facts we're developed, it the evil
dence of witnesses be accepted as facts,
that show crime to have been commit
tee that IS too horrible for even the
lowest brute who lives and breathes
under the blue canopy OF heaven TO
countenance The most disgusting, the
most revolving, and we must say, the
most damning outrage that has ever
occurred in the annals Of the history o!
the city-one which would tarnisb the
name of the devil himself, were he 10 be
guilty Of such Q crime-has been com.
mitted. and the perpetrstor through a
supposed lack of evidence allowed to
20 UNPUBLISHED. Even if the charge OF
rape be not sustained, the crime still re-
mains too horrible TO contemplate, and
the failure ofthe law 10 provide Tor the
punishment of man guilty OF entlclng a
little girl of the age Of fourteen years
into h,s room, as the evidence in this
case clearly illustrates WAS done, and
there having criminal connection with
her, even be 1t with her consent, only adds
TO the great danger W which the little
daughters of our citizens are subjected,
and danger from the effects OF which
there can be no redemption, once having
fallen q victim. Among the witnesses
examined yesterday were, for the de-
Tense Messrs. Wash Humphrey, VIM.
Phillips, Block, Chas. Il. Berry, An
drew White and b. b. Dovener. and for
tho prosecution, Annie Laura Fordyce,
the youthful victim OF mans lust, Mrs.
5. +. Gaylor, the mother, and Dr. Her
vey. The evidence adduced is too DIS
gushing and revolving for publication.
The substance, however, was " the effect
that Bradbury had confessed to other
parties that he had criminal intercourse
with his victim at various times, but
with her consent, and 10 sub.tantiate the
theory that the morals OF the girl were
not such as they should be. u.
W. Humphrey, butcher testified
to the effect that he had credited
her for goods purchased from him Tor
privileges which should condemn and
place him below the level OF the veriest
brute. The evidence OF Mr.. Charles ID. Der
ry was TO the effect that he had given the
mother of the girl five dollars he
thinking that the girl WAS e''c,ente) and
had promised 10 give twenty-five do
lars more in order TO send her to AL
legbeny, Pa, and place her IN charge
OF a physician for the purpose OF hav-
ing an abortion produced. This, no
says, no proposed doing for tAe benefit
of Bradbury, and in order to quiet the
mother of tho girl. DIR. Hervy, the
physician who was called in TO attend
on the girl, testified that he mad made
an examination Of Annie For
dyce, at the request of
her mother, on the 18th OF February.
ten days after the outrage was alleged to
have been committed, and found every
evidence of virginity up to recent
date. He said that the hymen was
badly ruptured, the girl seriously injured
and there was every evidence OF an out
rage. Yet in view of this fact, and the
fact that Brs1bury's own witnesses had
testified that he had acknowledged to
them that he had had criminal inter-
course with the girl, all atibi WAS proved,
and the man who, according 10 his own
confession, if tho evidences OF his own
witnesses is To be relied upon, has been
instrumental in bllghting the life of
youthful innocent, now stalks the streets
an innocent man, according 10 law.
This failure OF the law TO protect the
virgin purity Of youthful daughters and
sisters, cries out aloud tor a remedy, and
unless that remedy be found through
legal means, the svenging hand OF the
father or brother of injured innocence is
sure TO tall OH tho offending head OF him
who is not possessed OF that common do.
cency shown BY brutes to the opposite
sex.