Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-04-28
REvoLrIHG CRUELTY.
Terrible Treatment Of Two Little Girls
By Fiends in Human Form.



Last Friday, SAYS the North Star. the PEG.
pie of Fort Fairfield were appalled, to learn
that in their town crime. exceeding that OF
murder in cruelty, had been committed by
two devils in human FORM Ii appears that
about two miles up the river above Fort Fair
field there lived man and woman BY the
name of Bean. Little is known of or about
them. 1t was known that they came there =
few years ago, and that in a short time two
little girls came in on the train one night and
were carried 10 Beams house. II is remem-
bered by several persons that these children
were healthy, well nourished and decently
clad. Bean is known to own small farm.
some stock, and he paws his bills in the viii
lsge, which he occasionally visits TO trade.
For year past, vague rumors have been
sfioat that the children were no, well used.
These ruIhors have lately been coming faster
and of more definite character. till the over
seers of the poor decided To inquire into the
matter. Therefore. last Friday they in COM
pany with Deputy Sheriff, Estabrook, visited
Beams honse. Upon being admitted they
found the woman. who Was AZ once taken into
custody. One of the little girls. aged about
seven years, was sitting by the stove, a dazed
and stupid idiot clothed in filthy rags that
scarce covered her little body. An exsmina-
ton revealed the body a sore mass of wales,
bruises and scars. Ii was difficult to find
three inches of sound skin from her head to
her feet 6ne hand had a huge blister, but
whether An blow OF burn could not be as
certained. Upon the head was large alb
scess of very digusting appearance, while the
hair was entirely off the head, having the ap.
pearance of its being at some time pulled out.
The body was so emaciated that she had the
appearance of having been long in a starving
condition, though her many and serious
wounds would be sufficient to account for
emaciation. From bright and natural child
she had become idiotie, being unable to talk
more than to answer yes or no TO the ques-
tons asked.
The other girl. aged about ten, was not so
frightfully mangled, though enough to move
the strongest men to tears at the sight. One
ear was liberated. and had the appearance OF
having been violently pulled. One of her
hands was blistered and liberated. while one
foot was in such condition that she could only
touch the toes to the hoor. The hair was
gone from her head also. The children, with
the man and woman. were brought to the
village. Monday. Bean and his wife were
arraigned before Justice Perry. They waived
examination and were bound over-Bean in
the sum of $1,000 and the woman in the sum
of $500. In default of bail they were COM
mitted to Jail to avail; the action Of the grand
jury. The entire community in which this
atrocious deed was committed is excited to
the utmost point of tension. and it was feared
at the examination that the bounds of pru
dence would be overleaped and summary and
terrible punishment melted out to the guilty
and craven wretches.
1t now comes out that many of the neigh
bors were knowing, to some extent. of the
cruelties practiced on the children, but
through fear of the vengeance of Bean they
dared not speak Of the matter, or in any way
interfere. 1t seems that the fiends, Bean and
his virago, would sometimes put these chill
dren in hole, or called cellar, under the
house, put down the trap door and rug over
this, keeping them there in the dark and cold
all day. Again, these children have been
seen carrying wood in the cold, and misera-
bly, clad, till they would fall down with ex-
haustion. 1t is said that the children are
Beans by former wife, now dead