The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-16
A CHILD MARTYR.
A Horrible Story of Cruel Treatment.
Imprisoned by Her Mother for Fourteen
Years.
Boston Herald

/ Boston HERALD
Another of those alleged cases of inhu-
man and barbarous treatment of children
by their parents, which have enlisted the
sympathy and aid of the society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children, has just
been unearthed by the officers of that organ
ization. If true, it IS unparalleled in the
history of this commonwealth. at ny rate,
it has excited considerable stir in Charles
/ town, where the parties have resided for
many years. On the oath of June, 1873,
complaint was made to the officers of the
society by Mrs. Griffin, who alleged that
child-a girl of some IL or Is years-had
been close prisoner in the house OF her
| parents, Isaac and Mary E. Morris, Sc Bart
lett street. all her life, and though strong
and hearty child, she had never
been allowed to go out upon the street.
The story, as given below, was
cleaned from officers of the society, who
investigated the case, and is substantiated
by nejghbors, who have been in position
to know the facts. and also by relatives of
the Morris family.
The girl was not allowed to eat at the
table with the rest of the family, but was
given her food on a plate on the floor in
corner. From earliest infancy she was the
butt and laughing stock of her mother. who
frequently called her disgraceful names in
the presence of the other members of the
family. The family consisted of the father,
house painter by trade, the mother and
eight children. Two have been married
several years, and have but little knowledge
of hot hoc hoon OF Tho
eldest daughter is 80 years of age, and has
always resided at home. The victim of the
alleged cruel treatment, Isabella n. by
name, was put out to board with Mrs
Gile by her mother when about five weeks
old. at three years of age the child was
restored, and has ever since lived in the
house of her parents. During all these years
she has been
| POORLY AND scANTILY CLOTHED,
and has been as much neglected by her
mother as though she were a dumb animal
instead of a human being. Her father ap-
peared fond of her, and pettet ier somewhat
evenings on his return from his daily work
He is reputed to be respectable, hard
working man, and has been kept almost in
total ignorance of the true state of affairs by
his designing wife. 1t appears that, in order
to excite sympathy and elicit charity from
| kind-hearted persons, the mother contrived
TO keep the child looking pale and wan. and
usually placed her in an almost nude state
| upon the sofa, where she would lie for
hours. This was during the first year or
two of her residence at home. This, it is
said, was also done in order to keep the
child as backward as possible, and the result
was that for several years she was unable to
walk. Frequent hoggings were administered
| to the poor child. whose outcrles aroused
the neighbors on more than one occasion,
and several complaints have been made to
the police in regard to the matter. On one
of these occasions Officer Fuller, of station
| Is, was sent for by the sympathizing neigh
bors. When he arrived at the house the
poor victim, Bella, all bruised and weeping,
| was thrust into q closet, and another child,
Lille, the youngest, was produced and
shown to the officer as the one who had re-
ceived the hogging. The ruse succeeded,
and the officer went away satisfied that no
EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT
had been inflicted, and that the neighbors
had exaggerated their story. To make the
deception still more sure, the mother went
to station 10, and, in an interview with Cap
tain Aver, repeated her story in so plausible
a manner thai the captain was also deceived
as to the real facts in the case. Soon after
another complaint was made by
Mrs. Griffin to Captain Aver. and
nothing. the captain being as completely
deceived as before About 10 years ago two
relatives from New Durham, N. J., visited
the Morris family. and remained at the
house about a week. During this time the
child was never once seen by them,
and it is believed that they did not know
of its existence. Some three years ago
! two relatives from the State of New
York were also visitors for about week,
and went away without having once seen
the child, who was kept i'll an upper room
and not allowed to approach IN open win
dow. 1t is alleged that at no time has the
| girl ever been allowed to approach win
dow, and has been trained to avoid observa-
ton. 1t is the opinion of physicians and
others that the childs intellect though
/ now clouded by reason of her long impris-
onment, Is of more than average capacity,
and that she is naturally smart and bright.
During the past few years she has done
great deal of sewing, and some cooking, for
both of which occupations she evinces
natural aptitude. The motive which actu-
ated this inhuman mother in
ndPRIsoNING HER DAUGHTER
all these weary years appears to be mys-
| terry. There has been q certain contemptuous
and bitter feeling manifested by all the
members of the family, with the exception
| of the father; and this is doubtless due to a
suspicion that the girl is not their own flesh
and blood, but that she is the child of the
woman to whom their own child was given
to board. During the time that the girl,
Bella was being nursed by Mrs. Gle child
in her house died. and, on learning of the
fact, Mrs. Morris insisted that it was her
| baby which was dead, although she allowed
the Giles to make all arrangements for, and
bear all expenses of the funeral. Another
reason for her isolation from the world is
| given by the father, who states that the
child had the ricketts, when quite young, but
the statement lacks confirmation. 1t is, on
the other hand, positively asserted by the
relatives that the child has always been
healthy, never having required medical
attendance, despite her cruel treatment.
Her sanitary requirements were shown to
have been ehamefully neglected, and the
child YVES compelled to live in q most filthy
condition. The child appeared to be in
mortal dread of being seen by any person
outside of the family, and was never but
once or twice seen at q window. The pres
ence of the girl in the house has been denied
by various members of the family, and vari
Gus statements as to her whereabouts have
been made. At one time the mother insisted