The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-06-12
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New York World Philadelphia Letter.l
Poor Henry Ackley is not the only victim
phia house Of TslGRs: TG:day IN operation
was perforined- at the Philadelphia Ihospita
upon William Christman, the doctors having
decided that, by taking out one eye, there il
a possibility Of saving the other, which is nov
almost gone.' William .Chriatman was lefi
an orphan at an early age, and finally; drifted
into the northern home for friendless chill
dren, where hbf remained Yuntil} hesvas &C.
cused, In company with other inmates of this
charitable institution, of having upset the
donation box. He was hurried before mag
istrate, and within a few hours found himself
in the house of refuge. He was stout and
healthy boy, and stood we'll with the officers
until Mr.. Bulkley assumed charge. He was
soon after that marked as black sheep, and
when an attempt was made to set fire to the
building in July, 1873, he was at once &C.
cused of completely in the attempt.
In spite Of bis strenuous denials, and az
far as can be learned without any evidence
against him, he was placed in solitary con.
finement. The cell was low, dark and close,
and there was not single article, of furni-
ture in it. A window, barred by an iron
plate, served only as mockery to show that
light might come through it if it were let in,
and a terrible stencil, due to defective venti-
lation, made tia veritable Black Hole, Here
he remained for a week, compelled to he
down with his mouth close to the cell door
and suhsisting on bread and water, while
the thermometsr freqhently touched 100 de-
grees. He was ut last led, weak and totter-
ing, to the lower floor (he had been confined
in the top of the building where the heat of
the sun had the most effect) and asked by
Superintendent Bulkley:
swell, will you confess now?,,' ,,r,. ),
"l've nothing to confess" replied he, ~
didn't''-
"Will you confess at once?'' interrupted
his inquisitor.
II have nothing he began again, ewhen
at signal how taken by an'uttendaht ana
laid naked over the steam generator while
the superintendent beat him over the back
with cane, bringing the blood at almost
every stroke. He shrieked aloud and then a
bundle of rattans was used upon his bare
back until he tainted. When he came to he
was again in his dark cell, 80 weak from
long confinement and loss of blood that he
could hardly move. 80 "3 is =
Two weeks longer he remained in this
horrible place until late one night he was
told that he was to be sent to farmer in the
country. He was taken outside the wall,
thinly clad, the cold night air striking
through to bis bones after his long, suffocat-
ing confinement, and told to wnit on the
corner until the farmer came. The guide
hardly disappeared in the distance when q
policeman cauo up with II want you.'' It
was not simple order to "move on but
he "wanted" him. He took him to tho
station and the next day a careless magis-
trate sent him to the house of correction as
vagrant-a boy, who had not been free to
60 whsxe he pleased for years.
The exposure had done its work, however
His eyes began to fail, all sense of hearing
in one ear was lost and slender, unatten-
uated form that six months later was turned
adrift from the house of correction bore no
semblance to the stout and healthy boy that
had been taken out of the streets years be-
fore. He walked back to the city wreck.
He found some friends who found him lit
hands could do, and without eyes and with
partial sense of hearing he was of no use to
himself or any one else.
To-day the body of Harry Ackley was
buried in the Cathedral cemetery, aud to-
morrow the executive committee Of eso-
ciety for the prevention of cruelty to chill
dren will discuss the case and see what they
can do about it. The mayor has done some
thing BY severely reprindanding Lieut.. Jor-
dan, who. was in charge of the Ninth dis
trict station, for not reporting the case and
giving an early opportunity for = complete
investigation. The Christman case fortu-
nately is in the hands of an attorney, and
the system of management in this institu-
ton will be investigated in court Of justice
in a suit for damages. -; = =. =. :.