Richland beacon., 1880-04-03
The Shepherd Condemned.

One of the distinguishing traits of
civilization, indeed Of Christianity, is
the estimation in which children are
held. Their helplessnessi is their strength.
1t appeals to all that is noble in man
pie who are not fond of children" are
generally interested in them when they
are not called upon to make any
particular exertion in their behalf
[bey like to hear about them, and can
be stirred up to great indignation about
their wrongs. Men are seldom 50 rough
and coarse that little children need fear
them; and in spite of much brutality
and cruelty toward them, there is always
in the general heart a wide and deep
strain OF humanity to which their
claims and their wrongs never appeal in
vain.
The success of books like "Helen's
Babies" the intense and almost thrill
ing anxiety which the whole country
shared over the fate of Charley Ross /;
the general recognition of the pathetic
and softer element CT human nature in
Bret Harte's story Of "The Luck %
Roaring Camp" and a score Of like in
cidents, demonstrate the power which
the children, in spite, or rather because,
of their weakness. exert over the rest of
their race. The trial of the Rev. Mr..
COwley. for the cruelties and neglect of
the children which he had in charge,
has provoked a national interest and a
national Indignation, and his conviction
and sentence will undoubtedly excite a
national qualification.
The case was essentially bad one for
him. He had no disin'erested witnesses
to refute the accusations made against
him by the children; his own testimony
was often so indirect and sly, that his
very lawyers had to rebuke him, while
the judge himself was obliged to reprove
his wife for her evasive and eguivocal
answers. The only theory that the de-
fense attempted 70 set up was an absence
of willful cruelty; that COwley did the
best he could for them; that he was
short of funds and made whatever he
was able to command so a. far as it was
possible.
But the reply to all this seems to nave
been comprehensive. 1t was 10 the ef-
feet that, Notwithstanding he could not
sustsin those inmates be was already
undertaking to care for, he not only
permitted, but solicited, others to enter
and divide the already scanty fare. He
had only to put little more water into
the milk and cut the slices of bread
! thinner. His object was to keep the in
stitution running. in order TO prosecute
his claim to the $4,000 year which
came to him if he established his case
and as two or three years of income had
already accrued he had sordid motive
for retaining the children instead OF
turning them over to the authorities.
1t was not from a hatred of children,
not from a love of cruelty and torture,
but from avarice, that he starved,
/ neglected and abused them. To secure
himself in a comfortable position with a
snug little capital afterward, he was not
only wiling but anxious to gather about
him flock of unfortunate children and
expose them to the sufferings entailed
by neglect, privation and even starva
ton. To this extent, at least the jury
judged him guilty of wiilful cruelty
and the verdict will probably receive
30 far ss the public is informed in the
| case, general appreciation.