Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-10-31
Ohio Civilization.
BRUTAL WHIPPING OF A BOY IN
WAYNE TOWNSHIP.

On Monday last the trustees of " ayne
township brought to this city lad by
the name ofPeter Steadman, aged ten
years, whose back told tale of the
most brutal cruelty we have ever known
practiced toward child. 1t was seam
ed and welted from the neck to the
waist, showing where rod or whip had
been brought down upon it with fendish
violence, and ON his shoulders and arms
the skin had been laid open in several
places by the same process. A descrip-
ton of the boys back would be impos-
sible; its condition was horrible be-
You'd description.
The little fellow is very retiring in his
disposition, rather small for his age, but
bright and intelligent. He has been
living for some months past with Mrs.
Elizabeth Stephenson, on her farm a
short distance north of Mingo, and was
brought there from the Ross county in
Urinary, Mrs. Stephenson having taken
him to raise. He tells his own story of
the manner of his receiving the whipping,
which, as we have heard it, is about
this:
For some time past Mrs. Stephenson
has not been getting as many eggs as
she considered her due from the num-
Der Of hens she kept, and she conceived
the idea that Peter was appropriating
the eggs to his own use, accusing him of
cooking and eating them. This Peter
denied, but she persisted, and on Sum-
day caused him to take off his shirt,
and with an apple stick proceeded to
fog him on his bare back, laying on
with all her force, and occasionally
stopping to rest or to ask him some
question. During the whole time Mrs.
Stephenson's son, Mr.. E. o. Stephen
son, was standing by, but in no way did
he Interfere to protect the boy.
The whipping must have been con-
tlnued Tor considerable length of time,
how long can only be judged by the
number of marks left by the stick on the
boys back, and these were countless,
being so frequently crossed and run in
to each other as to do away with dis
tinctness. 1t would seem that the boy
finally escaped from his tormentor and
ran as for his life, reaching, during the
afternoon, the house of IRVING TAY-
LoR, near Kingston, who, after hearing
his story, took him to the Trustees OF
Wayne township, by whom he was ia
ken in charge for the night and on Mon
day brought here and placed in the
County Infirmary.
On Monday afternoon an affidavit was
made before Esq. RHODES, of this city,
against Mrs. Stepheson and her son,
charging them with assaults and bat
terry. A warrant was placed in the
hands Of officer KNIGHT and the par
ties were arrested on the street in this
city and taken before the Justice at
once. where they waived preliminary
examination and were held for the ac-
ton ofGrand Jury IN the sum Of $500
each.
When officer knight arrested Mrs.
Stephenson she inquired why she was ar
rested, and when informed, she said she
had done nothing but her Christian
duty" and while they were yet in the
Justices court she stated that she did
not think she had whipped the boy Sc
verely. Thereupon Col. WARNocK,
who had been employed to prosecute the
case, caused the boy to raise his shirt
and expose his back. Then Mrs. S. ex-
pressed great horror at the sight, and
said plteously, ''Oh, Peter! Why didn't
you tell me L was hurting you. l asked
you, and you wouldn't answer me.
From conversation had with the
boy, yesterday afternoon, we learned
that Mrs. S. has usually been kind to
him, though he said, sometimes she
got mad, and then she whipped me
once pretty near as bad as this" In
reply to question as to whether he had
really stolen eggs, he said, No, sir! l
always had plenty to eat without steal
eggs."- Ur6ana Citizen 6. Gazette.