The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-07-10
by TELEGRAPH.
INHUMAN TREATMENT.
A Drunken Father Terribly Abuses
His Little Boy.
The Child's Recovery Very Doubtful.
[Special deSnatch to the Press

Especial despatch to the Pressl
SAco, July "a case of inhuman treatment
of child which will probably end in the
death of the victim, came to light late last
night. The victim is the six year old son of
Leonard and Annie WEIGH, two notorious peo-
pie who have figured in the police court for
drunkenness and engaging in drunken brawls.
Since Fourth Of July the male Welch has
been inebriated most of the time and his wife
says has been very ugly and brutal. A little
before midnight last night Welch's wife called
police officer to the house. The officer found
Welch's child in an unconscious state with
numerous serious wounds upon its person. A
physician was Immediately sent for and the
child's injuries examined. The left arm was
broken in two Places the skull was fractured
over the left eye, there was severe bruise
over the right eye and the shoulder blade was
broken. The physician expressed the opinion
that it was doubtful if the child would live.
Mrs. WEIGH stated that she fled from home
before the child got hurt for fear of her hus-
band and therefore she did not know anything
about the affair. She came home about 10
o'clock in the evening and not seeing the child
asked her husband where it was and he replied
that he did not know. She then went to his
brothers in search of the child and not finding
it there returned home again. Her husband
told her to come into the house and he would
tell her where the child was and as he said
this he pointed to an adjoining room. There
she found the child in the condition described
and Immediately rushed out of the house and
notified the police. When the latter reached
the house Welch had fed, but he was found at
half-past o'clock this morning in yard on
Middle street, lying concealed under a coal
cart, without any hat, coat, boots or stockings.
When asked about the child he said that he
with others had been cleaning out cistern, at
about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon and found
the boy at play; that he called him into the
house and went to the store, bought some
crackers, returned to the house and gave the
boy crackers and milk for his suppef; left him
and went to Biddef5fd, returning at about
seven; that he found the boy at the foot Of the
attic stairs, down which he supposed he had
fallen; that he took him up and laid him upon
a mattress on the floor; that he did not think
he was much injured, and that he was all
gnu Wuer0 uo Was. Az dDOut o y ClUCh NuTS
Morrison of Biddeford came in and while she
was there he gave the child two tablespoonful
of whiskey in some water from a cup. All
further statements from him were contradict
DRY.
The only other person who is able to give
any information about the affair is Mrs. Nor
rison, who was in the house during the even
ing with WEIGH. She alleges that Welch
wanted her to give the boy some white powder
which he had in a cup and which he called
medicine, but she refused to do SO. The gem
eral opinion seems to be that WEIGH under
took first to poison the child, but not securing
Mrs. Morrisons assistance endeavored to kill it
by throwing it down stairs and that the brok-
en- arm and skull were caused by the fall. AT
O'Clock this evening it is thought the child
may live, although still insensible, in which
case the facts will soon be learned
Both WEIGH and his wife bear bad charac-
acter. They have frequently been in the Jail
and workhouse. This little boy has been
greatly neglected, its parents sometimes leav-
ing it for three or four days, when it would be
taken into some neighbours house and given
food and then at night crawl into its own
house and stay alone until morning The
child has been on the city poor farm, but
about year ago it was given in charge of its
parents