Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-01
THE MANNED BOY.
Trial Of His stspfsthsr, William AL
britten for Savage Cruelty.
Progress Of, aad Points In the
Case, a. Developed I'm the
Criminal Court.

The case Of Albritten occupied the
attention Of the Criminal Court TO.
day. The trial began several DAYS
ago and is now closed, all but the
argument Of counsel and the testimony
Of DR.. VIM. B. Rodgers, which 1t il
understood will be given to the Jury
this afternoon, The facts OF the case
which will be remembered BY many
readers, are about as follows:
On the 18th Of December last AL.
britten, the stepfather Of Jesse
Maynard, q lad then about
ten years of age, whipped the boy in
an unmerciful manner until he was
insensible, then held him before the
tire and roasted the front part Of his
body. He first stripped the boy naked,
and whipped him for more than an
hour with q knotted rope the size Of
the boys finger, afterward continued
the whipping with switches until, as
before remarked, the boy lost his
senses. Then, while still naked, Ais
bitten placed his knee in the lads
back, pinioned both arms be-
hind with his hands, and then
pushed thu writhing lad up to the fire,
roasting him until the flesh Of the
lower part Of his stomach was parched
to crisp. The boy was then put to
bed and suffered untold agonies, the
intense pain and torture causing him
to writhe and roll in way that led AL
britten to believe the boy would die.
Nine days after, and on the 18th Of
January, Albritten, fearing the case
was serious, called in the family ply
stefan, DR.. HenniDg, who did what
he could for the little sufferer. In
the mean time the boy was kept hid
den, and none but an old servant, the
boys mother, his stepiather aud the
physician were permitted to enter the
room where he lay. The boy finally
recovered sufficient to go about, but
the rumor went forth that his organs
OF generation had been permanently
impaired and had shriveled up from the
effects of the terrible torture inflicted
by Albiitten. The latter was arrested
by Officer Lane Of the s. P. O. A., and
when the arrest was made Albritton
shook bis FIST in Lanes face and
tire tsned him with his vengeance
He also admitted whipping and burn
ing the boy, and seemed 10 glory in it.,
as he said he would do it again under
like circumstances.
The popular indignation against AL.
britten was intense at the time the
facts were developed through a pre-.
liminary examination before Esquire
Coleman early last summer. The
wretch was hung in effigy by his co.
workers at the Charleston railway ma :
chine shops. and the crowds Of exas-
perated people who gathered about
Esquire Ooleman's Office whom the
prisoner was there, together with
certain expressions Of opin-
ion, freely ventilated, caused
Albritten to feel like he wanted to be
somewhere else.
The man, therefore, ran away before
the examination was concluded, cross
cd to Hopefeld and did not appear tC
answer, thus forfeiting his bond Of
$500, that amount having been placed
in the hands of Mr.. Baumann, tn,
bondsman, to make him safe. The
wife of Albritten, and mother Of the
MANNED lad, who was present wher
the boy was so saVagely outraged
urged her husband to flee from the
public wrath and the law. He, how
ever, returned to the city in the might
to attend Banner Lodge, |. o. o r..
Of which he was a member, and waI
arrested and incareerated by the police
Since that time he has lain in jail
awaiting trial.
The jury before which Albritten'l
case is being heard is composed Of
nine white and three colored citizens
Uncle Tom, of Raleigh, being among tn,
latter, 1t is jury Of apparent fail
intelligence, and the verdice at pres
ent can only be guessed at. The popu
lar expression, however, is that tnt
torturer will not get of easy.
The testimony, as before remarked
closed this forenoon, and the fact
elected were almost as above related
Since the examination Of Albritter
before Esquire Coleman the boy ha
been at the Leath Orphan Asylum
where his conduct has been com
mended by the the Matron, Mrs. Pea
body. The medical gentlemen eallet
in to examine the boy, who gave ties
timony in the case, all except DR.
Henning, expressed the belief that tn,
chords Of the genitals have been per
manently impaired. Dr. Henninl
stated that the lad is predisposed L
consumption and other physician
say that his delicate con,
stitution, aggravated by the
terrible soorching inflicted will NOR,
than likely carry the boy into con
sumption, provided any Of the func
tions Of the organs have been stopped
by the unnatural torture.
In his summing up for the Stat,
Judge Heiskell read the penalty o
the law for mayhem or the impairinJ
or Disagreement Of human organ bJ
a prisoner, and if found guilty Of this
crime Albritten will DO apt TO 20 Il
the penitentiary for long term. Tn,
case will hardly go the jury before lat,
this evening or Tomorrow. 1t is OK
citing more than ordinary in
terest, and to-day the court room
was we'll filled with interested
spectators. During the course o
the trial the MANNED boy was stripped
and the shriveled ports wert
shown to the jury. The sight was al
awful one to gaze upon and createI
quite q sensation Of horror among tn,
spectators, and it apparently had il
effect upon the jury. The prosecu
ton has been conducted by Attorne,
General Turner and OK Judge G, W
Heiskell, the latter representing tn,
8. p. Q. A. Society, Of which he is
member and TO which he gives lega
| aIwenn III. Ill.,. :. :.