The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-06
WHEN
TORTURED WITH HOT IRON,
Horrible Cruelty Inflicted by Negro on a
DefenSelesS Woman.

PHILADELPHIA, July "A story of fendish
cruelty, the details of which are almost beyond
belief, was revealed this afternoon in Camden,
N. j.. and has excited feelings of the utmost hor
ror among the residents of that city. For over
year Thomas Demound, powerful negro of
about thirty-fve years of age, has lived in
small shanty on the outskirts of Camden with
Ida Monroe, handsome young mulatto woman,
who passed for his wife among the colored peo-
pie that reside in that vicinity. Demound's bus
mess is that of policy writer, and he acted as
agent for the heavy policy hackers of. this city,
bringing them considerable business from the
negroes of Camden He was known as man Of
strong temper, and was greatly dreaded by his
neighbors when under the influence of liquor
On the night Of Thursday, June %, he came
home in quarrelsome humor, and demanded of
his mistress the name of another man who was
also writing policy among the Camden negroes
This business rival is thought to be q cousin of
the woman's, and she refused to disclose his
name. The man then knocked her down. and
bound her hand and foot in which condition she
remained all night. On the following morning
he unloOsened the bonds and left the house. but
on returning at night, and being again refused
the information he wished, beat the woman
cruelty, and. tying her up as before, threw her
into corner, where she lay in an unconscious
condition all night. On Saturday morning, the
27th the fend threatened the woman with death
unless she disclosed the name OF his rival, but
she was obstinate, and dared him to do his
worst
This seemed to infuriate the man to the verge
of madness, and hurting her to the floor, he
bound her with ropes and then forced a gag
formed of stick which almost tore her jaw
asunder into her mouth. and, while she lay
moaning IN agony, heated flatiron, with which
he scared her flesh in twenty places. Not salts
fed with this sckening revenge, the wretch pro-
cured a quantity of oil of vitriol and poured it
over the woman's already cruelty tortured body,
which had been almost denuded of clothing. In
this terrible condition he left her and hurried
away, 1t is believed to this city, where the police
are searching for him.
The unfortunate victim lay on the floor of the
shanty all day, unable to move hand or foot, and
suffering indescribable agony At o'clock in
the afternoon a female cousin named Mrs. Rice,
who also lives in Camden, called TO see her, and
was Mortified to find the woman in a state which
DR.. j. w. Donges, who was at once called in,
says was too horrible to bear detailed descrip-
tion. She was utterly unable to speak, and it
was several days before she could tell the story
Of her paramour's brutality. On being found
she was removed to her cousins house, and the
return and fall into the hands of the police, who
were on the lookout for him. He has not been
seen, however, and is supposed to be hiding
somewhere in this city. On Wednesday last the
doctor permitted the woman to be removed to
the house of her sister in this city, where she
now lies in precarious condition. Had she not
been woman of great bodily strength and the
most robust constitution she would have died
before being found on the afternoon of June 27.