Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-04-25
Notable Libel Suit.

The Springfield Republican has libel suit,
now on trial in the Supreme Judicial Court,
at Salem, Mass. Two years ago, two
daughters Of Rev. G. D. Lothrop. Congre-
gatonal minister, then settled in Amherst,
Mass, aed one alter the other from their
fathers house, in consequence OF the out
rageous cruelty with which he treated them
The neighbors gave them shelter and pro-
lection. The matter come to the notice of
the Springfield RepnJlieul, and after making
careful Inquiries it published statement
which in substance was As follows
That Mr. Lothrop was oil a very passionate
and uncontrolled temper, and was guilty of
long continued and frequent abuse and gross
cruelty to his wife and daughters that his
abuse and cruelty consisted in part of fur
nishing insufficient food, of forcing them to
eat unsuitable food. some of the meat being
rotten OF systematic starving of one or more
OF his daughters Of false accusations of his
daughters of being guilty of theft, depriving
them OF ordinary indulgences and privileges !:
furnishing insufficient and unsuitable cloth
ing, threatening horsewhippings to his
daughters, and also threatening to ruin their
characters before the community command
ing them to tell lies. That he was guilty of
actual and frequent whippings, blows, beat
ings poundings of his daughters, sometimes
with horsewhip, sometimes with slipper,
sometimes with books, and other imple-
ments and sometimes with his hands some
times kicking, sometimes pushing and pull
ing them around the room sometimes
shocking them down, sometimes whipping
his daughters in the attic, sometimes in the
barn, sometimes in other places sometimes
leaving marks of the injuries upon his two
eldest daughters for days That this i'll
treatment and abuse of his daughters con
tinued until two of them were grown up,
one to be twenty years old and the other to
be eighteen years old that he was also
guilty of acts Of personal violence against
his wife-his second wife and stepmother
OF the children that at one time
when i'll and in distress he treated
her with gross cruelty. Ieyiling
her, charging her with feigning
illness and distress. kicking and inficting
other acts Of violence upon ore of his daugh-
tiers who was seeking to comfort her. That
in consequence of this course Of ill-treatment
his eldest daughter was lei 70 seek employ
ment as servant to leave her home and
dec to strangers for refuge that he formed
and sought to carry out plan to force her
into an insane asylum and told his purpose
to DR.. Hitchcock, of Amherst, who prevent
ed it being carried out. That in consequence
OF this course of ill-treatment, his second
daughter was also led to seek employment as
servant to leave her home aud to flee to
strangers for refuge to seek the interfer-
enee and protection of Rev. Mr.. Jenkins
and other prominent Amherst gentlemen
that her arms were black and blue from his
acts Of violence that her distress led her to
contemplate and form purpose of commit
ting suicide also, that he was guilty of
dishonesty and falsehoOd.
The Amherst church took up the matter
and ezcommunicated Mr.. Lothrop from its
membership and expelled him from the pas
torate Mr.. Lothrop sued the ReppJiicQ.
Tor libel and the case is now on trial. The
evidence consists largely OF the testimony of
the thres young ladies, who confirm the
above statements in every essential particu-
lar. The testimony Of neighbcrs. some of
them persons Of very high standing, corrOb-
Grated that Of the daughters A butcher
testified to selling tainted meat to Mr..
Lothrop at cent pound. In short, the
evidence for the defence has been such that
it is safe to predict that Mr.. Lothrop will
get no damages out Of tie Republican, No
amount of testimony TO the Lothrops general
good character will avail to destroy the
distinct and damning evidence of his cruelty
to his own children.