Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-29
A CHILD CHAINED IN A CELLAR
Horrible Brutality of a Bridge
... port Couple. ...
A TERRIBLE TUNNEL ACCIDENT
Twenty Men Buried Under the
Hudson River Bodies Not
Yet Recovered--lo and
Found Apain. .
THREE SCORES OF FIENDS
HUMAN FIENDR.

A Ten-year-Old boy Driven tn Work
Like n Galley Slave and Then
BrutaIIy Beatcn and Sent supper
less to BED.
PIrrspuRa, July 2.-Westmoreland
county has another sensation almost as
great as that caused by the abduction OF
the Burkett girl. The mining town of
Bridgeport, on the Southwest Pennsyl
vania railroad, was thrown into great ex-
citement yesterday by the report that
little bound boy named Silas Edward
Meyers, about 10 years OF age, was lying
chained in the house OF man named
William II. Ohub. The matter was agitated
among the citizens, and it was resolved to
investigate the rumor, as it was long cur.
rently believed that the child had been
frequently misused by both Mr.. and Mrs.
Chub.
Accordingly four gentlemen-Mesr
Black, Spiker, Sallenburger and Kemp
went to Chub's house, where they found
the boy in the cellar, with a trace chain
fastened around his neck by a paddock and
the other end of the chain affixed to q
ladder going from the first floor to half
attic above. They inquired of Mrs. Ohub
replied; "Because he was bad and would
run away" Upon the demand of the men,
however, she released the boy, and they
brought him, together with his slave-like
chains, before M. N. Stauffer, ESQ.,, of
Mt Pleasant, where the parties made M in
formation before the Justice for the cruelty
and maltreatment of an apprentice, and
both Ohub and his wife were arrested and
given hearing.
AT the hearing number of witnesses
were sworn whose evidence was of very
damaging character. One testified that
last fall Ohub had told him that he had
whipped the boy with the ramrod of a
gun. Another witness, who was a miner
employed at the same works as one of the
defendants. testified that the boy was
compelled to dig and shovel coal in the
pit with mis- adopted father and that when
night came and his work WAS done the
boy was so tired he could hardly drag
himself home, and then he was regularly
brutally beaten and sent supperless tc
bed. The defendants had nothing to
offer in their defense, and in default of
$500 bail each they were committed to
Jail to await their trial at Court.
In an interview with the boy after the
hearing he gave the following account OF
his case: "My name is Silas Edward
Meyers, and l was bound to Mr.. Club
about two or three years ago my parents
used to live around here, but they nre now
living at MeKeesport, l think, and they
wrote to me once siace was at Clubs,
and l answered their letter; had to work
in the pit with my pap (meaning Chub) ;
dug and shovelled GOALS; had to gather
wood in the woods besides; last summer
they whipped me SO that 1 was sore for
two weeks; then l ran away for half o
day two weeks ago they whipped me
again, each time with cowhide, and they
used to whip me pretty often; on Tues.
day afternoon my pap found me in town
and took me home; they tied my hands
and arms and fixed the rope in the ceiling,
80 could not Icy down; at dark they
chained me and had to lay on the bare
floor all night; in the morning they put
me in the cellar, where the men found me
had nothing to eat or drink all the after
noon and night until got up to this office
(the 'Squire's office)."
An examination of the child's person
exhibited terrible state of affairs. Grest
scars marked the effect of last summer
beating, and black aud blue welts, half si
thick AZ mans finger, with heavy scabs
on, covered his limbs and back, the effec
of recent whippings. The boy is brigh
and intelligent, but small for his age, ant
slightly built. He told his story In {
straightforward manner. The case hai
created great Indignation in the com
munity.