New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-22

NEGLECTED IN A GARRETT.

CRUELTY TO A BOY WITH FROZEN FEET.
SHAMEFUL TREATMENT OF LAD BY Mr.. AND MRS
MILLER OF LONG IsLAND-wILLE BUTZ WITH
OUT FOOD FOR THREE DAYS IN THE CoLD-AM-
PUTATIoE OF Roth FEET NECESSARY.
small dilapidated farmhouse about mile from
Manor, or ManoTville. a station on the Long island
Railroad, in Suffolk County. was recently the scene
of great cruelty on the part OF German tailor
named Miller. and his wife. The victim was Willie
Bniz a boy nine years old, the son of tanner Of
PaciRc-st.. Brooklyn. Owing to exposure to cold
and subsequent neglect on the part of the brutal
tailor aud his more brutal wife. both OF the boys
feet were Frozen and have since been amputated
lust above the ankle.
A TRIBUNE reporter visited the unfortunate lad
Yesterday at st. Peters Hospital, Brooklyn, where
he hes been cared for since January Il. he was
living on cot with face and hands almost as white
as the coverlet spread over him. lie has very
handsome intelligent face: with iar eompex'on
down by the cot the boy threw back the cOverlet
and held up his two stnmps: which were wrapped
with baudaqes. His disposition seemed 10 CORE
sp pom to his pleasant German face.
at is in this way" he said, that went to live
with the Mers: One day last summer Mrs. Miller,
who used 10 be q nelghbor OF ours, asked me II L
wouldn't like 10 90 to the country. She
said | could hunt and fish and play in the
fields, and have only a little work TO do.
OF anything else. and for two nights before
Starting could hardly sleep. But when got there,
instead of hunting and fishing, had to work AZ
cutting and hauling wood, run brands and take
care of the woman's baby. l slept in the garrett,
which was comfortable enough until cold weather
came. Although tried hard to please her, Mrs.
Miller would often strike me with her'hand and
sometimes with piece of wood Some winter nights
they made me stay up to feed the fire. The next
day would be 50 sleepy that would almost drop
the baby. Then the woman would give me slap IN
the face.
"On the Tuesday after New Years Mr. Miller was
coming home and was sent to the store at the
station for some flour. i was to come back to the
house with Mir. Muller, but / mot him on the road
with another man, Ia sleigh They told me to get
into the sleigh and ride back to the house. Mrs.
Miller scolded me for coming back, and sent me to
the store again. Thesnow was so deeD that II came
nearly up to my knees and my shoes got full Of
snow and nv feet were wet. My feet felt very queer
when came back, and panied me- When l got up
next morning | tried 70 walk, but l couldn't
stand up at ALL. 1t felt as If / was stand;
ing on pieces Of glass. Mrs Miller wanted
10 know what was the matter, and when i cried
with the pain she gave me knock and told me TO
stop crying. The man carried mo down stairs,
where got some breakfast and then they carried
me back to the garnet. 1t was very cold and dark
there. The wind blew in through great cracks.
They didn't come up to see mo or send me anything
to eat or drink for three days. They were in the
house, for could hear them talking down stairs.
II was cold, and my feet hurt me so thought was
going 90 die. On the fourth day they thought
was pretty bad and they went to neighbours house
and got some kerosene and sweet oil to put on my
feet They still kept me up in the garrett bringing
me Up cup of coffee and some bread in the morning
and In the evening"
Finally, the boy said, man who was out hunting