The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-14
IN CHAINS.
A GIRL CONFINED FOR THREE MONTHS
INA SPACE OF SIX FEET.
sickeni story Of Brutality on the Part
Of an Unnatural Father, and the Ex-
neEiences of a Poor Insane Girl.

Sick ching story Of Brutality on the Part
Of an Unnatural Father, and the Ex-
periences of a Poor Insane Girl.
The bells on the necks of the car mules were
jingling merrily Notwithstanding the falling
rain. little girls were laughing under the shell
ter of neighboring sheds on Canal street rs
reporter Of the DEMOCRAT started out yesterday
afternoon to learn something OF an alleged case
of torture to an unfortunate girl The afternoon
was gloomy enough, but the sickening details
cleaned In his perambulations added what
would have made even Mark Tapley forget for
the nonee his jollity and sink into sad rumina-
lions on the sufferings of poor humanity In
even this q city of boosted beneficence. Some
DAYS ago Information WAS received that In q
house near Broad street there was girl chained
hand and foot and had been for some three
months, and In pursuance Of this the reporter
| started on his quest accompanied by Judge
| Southwortb and A. DeFonbanque, the British
consul ut this port.
WHO VOLUNTEERED
out of pure humanity. The reporter got out OF
| the Canal street cars at Dorgenois street. and
going up that stopped Mt the corner Of Palmyra
to look for the habitation wherein 1t was said
| the girl had been confined. 1t was easily found
according to the directions given by lady who
had before visited the place. On Palmyra, two
doors from Dorgenois street. 1t stood. From
hasty glance at its exterior and surroundings it
might have been taken for one OF Quilps re-
treats 1t was diapidated one-story house.
containing two rooms, standing back a
short distance from the street. Painted
1t had been. but the winds and rains Of
number of winters had told upon 1t, and
| here and there bare patches showed where
the painters work had peeled and dropped off.
There was broad alley way running back on
one side Of the house. piled about were pieces
OF old scantling doors and other remnants Of
buildings that had long since been torn down,
The place wore
| A MOST DILAPfDATED APPEARANCE.
In the rear was she'd filed with q conglomo-
ration Of tool chests. benches and timber, that
seemed to indicate the n. bItation to be one OF
some retired carpenter. The party halted Mt
the gate and looked In. There was not n stir on
the inside and the only one noticeable was on
the part Of the neighbors. Window shutters
flew OPEN doors were silly Unmatched Just
| enough to allow a nose to show on the outside,
and in few minutes the whole neighborhood
showed signs Of no ordinary commotion. On
inquiry from q party living next door, 1t was
learned that the proprietor Of the house was
not in but soon would be. and the reporter. not
wishing any delay. unlocked the rickety gate
found to be- locked but a window adjoining was
gained to the house. While the party were en-
deavoring TO get admission into the back room
the proprietor appeared and. on being in
The front room bore out the impressions
formed from q Wow OF the outside. In confu.
sion around We're the remnants of what had
seats Of the stuffed chairs had had the hair cloth
worn off, and protruding therefrom In dingy
hnng OF b1os a ana oR
wall. In tete- a-tete with veteran table which
had long since
Il DrsowNED IT'S KINDRED,
and stood the ghost of what 1t once was. Ia
one corner folded up in the smallest possible
space was q small mattress. whilst near 1t slum
brred we'll worn frying pan. It's handle resting
s hs aRs " as
buried In bed of ashes that seemed to have
burned out long ago; On the manteI-piece az
contained cheerful wine held up a shrunker
candle and was confronted by dirty plate
The whole room looked l. like n some st store room
blaze from spontaneous combustion.
Passing through this the door 70 the Other
f. bn WAS astnstvsy drew ' stencil such
AZ only can once be smeiied drove them oacs
The fetid odor OF
THE cHAnNEn HOUSE.
, with an addition Of a forgotten vault. eouit
only approach, 1t. It was sickenng. ana tht
party could only endure 1t after side W1nd9V
had been opened and a partial ventilation 90
tanned. The proprietor ushered them n. H'
ap OF an9a a have los
every trace Of the softer lines. Bright graz
, eyes threw out now and then flashes Of llRh
lous lips betrayed much excitement and d emo
; ton. He said his name was Samuel Barnes
, and he had at one time been 9 prosperous mer
,, chant on Poydras street, He had two sons, ON
! Charles II. aud the other Alfred D. Barnes
i When questioned he made q statement y
ne as ysars Of age
: and had been crazy for some time. About thre
mouths ago he went to the city insane asylum
/. Alter he had taken her out she used to go +
: market with him and help him at his y"getabl
;. stand at Poydras market, but he found h
:. would have
:. SO he went to the asylum and borrowed
a pair Of handcuffs, and chained her In the room
r long she had been so chained, At one time, h
u said it was only month. and at another 1t W
,, five months since he borrowed the handcuif
When asked who cared for her, he said he die
He went to market very early in the morning
and 1t was sometimes o'clock in the afternoo
- when he got home During this time ,s sh- va
a half-opened window. and without soul nea
m her, When questioned about the bruises 2
her back ne sad S sae Tt nase ha aS wn
IN ped her-only kept her chained.
The reporter. after light had been admltte
f bana Ine and r11 Judge W
a. surroundings. In the far corner. firmly naie
a against the wall was a small wooden benz
- about four and one-half feet In length and vel
2 narrow From hole In the wall hung chai
Of not more than three feet liz length. ,whit
10 would allow the prisoner to stand upright, b.
=. not to lie on the fl ,or. About eight feet fro
70 the bench was an old mahogany bed. on whit
~ was piled mass OF
va PUTREFYTNG RAGS
i'll and an old mattress. Here within circle
10 three feet had this unfortunate girl passed Il
last three months, max d and without anythiI
le to lie on. and If she had had it without Il
as power to reach 1t.
III awhile the party were examining the room
he great was the stencil they had to withdraw
the open air, the lungs not being able to stal
s- and floor. On the ceiling there were brot
be splashes of filth az high as mans head al
10 covering space ten feet, square. The roo
be had been washed by the father that morning,
M Il aaid 10 ruan Med 70, clean Ii after the p