Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-04-17
HER sUFFERINGs ENDED.

HER SUFFERINGS ENDED.
The Child so Cruelty Treated by He
Foster Mother Dies Friday Night
A Homicide.
Margaret Ellen Wesley, the oolorst
child who was subjected to the most bar
bsrous treatment at the bands OF he
foster mother, Martha Smith, colored
died Friday night at the home Of a .tamily
who had cared for her since her tire atmen
was made public.
On Monday week Margaret Smith was
arrested for inhuman cruelties toward
the child and In the evening was given
hearing before the municipal court and
6ued 800 and costs for abusing the child.
In default Of fine, the woman WAS sent to
jail snd ia still in the custody of the
sheriff. The story told by the child OF
its treatment, at the court hearing, was
shocking, and almost Incredible. 1t was
substantiated, however, by other wit
nesses, and by the awful SCARS upon the
ohild's body.
After citing e number Of minor abuses,
the child stated that Margaret Smith, her
foster mother, short time before the
arrest had picked her up from the floor
aud set her down upon red hot stove,
| holding her there few minutes until she
was almost orszed, and unconscious from
intense pain and suffering. Topsevent the
| child from crying after being 30 terribly
| burned the Smith woman took q table
fork, and with 1t pinned the ohild's
tongue to her throat. 0n the ehild's
back were large cankerous sores, deer
into ths tlssh, slmsst exposing tbs spint
Its hands were terribly burued auG
charred where it had taken
hold OF the stove. The wounds mad
by the fork on the tongue were ter
ribly painful, aud the child's condition
when before the court was regarded as
almost hopeless by DR.. Grimshsw, who
rendered immediate attention. The
Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty to
Children took the case in hand, Austin
Harrington, Esq, pressing the prosecu.
ton.
After Margaret Smith had been locked
up, the child WAS taken to No. 225 East
Liberty street, where it was attended by
DR.. Willard Springer. Even with the
care 1t received, the child gradually got
weaker and Friday nigh: died from ex-
hsustion.
On Saturday afternoon Coroner Smith
held an inquest on the remains OF
Margaret Ellen Wesley, the colored child
who died on Friday night from
exhaustion, resulting from great pain and
suffering. The testimony at the ooroner's
inquest substantiated the statement made
by the child when before the city court
Monday week last, regarding the arbarous
treatment it received at the hands of it's
foster mother Martha h. Smith.
The ooroner's physician, DR.. Howard
osle, testified to the fact that the wounds
on the child's body were the cause Of its
death. The wounds we're clearly proven
to have been the result OF the Smith
womgn's inhuman treatment. 1t was also
shown by the witnesses that Samuel
Charles Hall, who boards with Martha
Smith, had assisted in the bsrbarous per-
secution of the helpless child. He had
often administered stunning blows upon
its head, aud knocked out a number of
its teeth few days before the child's
death.
After hearing considerable testimony Of
the most convincing kind, the jury rem
dered verdict to the effect that Margaret
Ellen Wesley came to her death from ex-
haustion resulting from wounds inflicted
by Martha Ellen Smith and Samuel
Charles Hall. Commitments were issued
against the Smith woman, who is in jail
in default OF 800 fine and costs for abus-
ing the child, and against her accomplice
Hall.
THE FUNERAL
OF the murdered child took place Sun
day afternoon and was largely attended.
The little coffin was taken into the 4 Zion
Mission Church, in that part Of the city
known as Andersonville, and there, in
the presence of all, the lid was removed
and the poor, tortured face and hands OF
the little victim exposed to view; the
pastor, the Rev. J. j. Campbell, using the
shocking sight as a powerful text on tie
total deprsvity of unregenerste human
nature. He dwelt realistically upon the
terrible power OF sin which was potent to
obllterate every trace of humanity from
the breast OF the foster mother of this
child and to transform her into merci-
less demon worse than the most ravenous
OF bsa5ts; and in fervent language
warned his hearers TO break loose from
the domination of the evil one and come
into the fold. After the church services,
the body was inferred in the cemetery on
Union street
Those who listened to the preachers
forcible Language and looked upon the
mutilated little corpse with the lines of
anguish frczsn in death on its distorted
features, came away from that church
with their feelings wrought mp to suoh
pitch that had tho murderess bean within
their reach her chances of swinging
from this nearest tres would have
bsen more promising than pleasant.
"Hanging's too good for her, sheought to
bs treated like she treated that poor
little child" was the general verdict,
and some OF the less dev0ut expressed
the opinion that if she "does not fetch up
in hell there's no use in having any
hell"
Hall, the aocomplice of Mrs. Smith,
WAS arrested on q coroner's warrant by
Deputy Palmer Sunday morning and
taken directly to New Castle jail.
Margaret Ellen Smith, the murderess,
was
THE WIDOW OF cooCH TURNER,
who was killed and skinned by Dr. West,
at Dover, some 10 or IL years ago,
Almost every reader will recall that
crime, which like the Udderzook murder,
had its intention in an attempt to defrsud
life insurance company. DR.. West
had secured heavy policy upon
| his life and, as his practice
WAS not lucrative he conoocted q
scheme to sacrifice life to lift himself to
stlluenoe. He reasoned that IL his office
should be burned down and ohsrred
body be found among the ruius, himself
being missing, the natural conclusion
would be that he had persisted in the
flames, his reputed widow could draw the
insurance money ana, in some distant
region aud under an assumed name he
might spend the rest OF his days In com.
parative ease.
Cooch Turner. a negro, who did chores
around the place, was selected as the
victim. Taking the negro unawsres the
doctor slew him and, in order TO guard
against the discovery that the body was
| ~ 1T III. -