Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-15
Inhuman Treatment.
A Shameful Case Before /
Chicago Court.
HORRIBLY ABUSED BY RELATIVES

Aswiss Boy Becomes an ImbeeIie-Driven
from the House by His Brutal Kinsmen
and Forced to Sleep with tho Cows in
the Stable. with Scarcely a Rag to Cover
Him-The Dawson Murder Case.
CHICAGO, March 15-George Grass was
pitiful object when led into the court of in
sane inquiry yesterday morning He was
grotesque in the extreme in his appearance
He was six feet tall, but mere skeleton, and
he glanced around the room in terror until
the keeper spoke a kind word and then his
whole face lighted up with the pleasure Of re-
ceiving word other than Of abtise. He was
an imbecile without doubt and ordinarily
his case would have been disposed of in a
moment The first witness in the case was an
officer from Hyde Park He said that
wednesday morning he heard agonizing
screams from behind barn near the Illinois
Central railway tracks at Sixty fifth street
A moment later the patient ran out and
across the fields. His face was bruised and
bleeding, and when the officer caught him he
Fought desperately to get away. He was
taken back to the barn. Conrad Ahrsn, a
buriy hostler, was at the barn and in surly
tones admitted that he had beaten the un-
fortunate lad. He was arrested aud was
lined $40 by the police magistrate
The lads story, as CLEANED by the officer.
was a sad one. His name is George Grass,
and he was born in Switzerland About two
years ago he was sent by his father to Amer
lea to find BONE with his uncle From that
moment the lads life was a constant
round of abuse of the most awful character.
lie was not allowed in the house and
was forced to sleep among the cows. In cold
weather he had nothing to keep him warm,
and would crawl close to bis dumb friends for
relief from the biting air He was but half
fed and never received any clothes except
such as he could pick up Grass the boys
uncle, his three sons and the hired man
would beat the lad on the slightest provoca-
ton, and tho course of cruel treatment had
made an nmbecile of him This, the officer
said, was the common talk of the neighbor-
hood, and as he spoke Judge Gary frowned
omInously Where are these paoples" he
asked
A stoop-shouldered, blackeyed young man
came slowly forward and took a seat in the
witness chair He seemed afraid OF meeting
the judge, and never looked up as he mum
bled surly answers to the question put to
him
rs this man your cOusint'
II suppose So"
"Ho.s long has he lived with youi"
Bout two years. He came from Switzer-
land. His father sent him here aud he was
near crazy then. We didn't want him aud
he was NO use to u.s. lie couldn't do nothing
around
Did he not herd the cowsl"
Yes, suppose he did
And did you give him good carer
he had good food and good bed"
"Wheres"
No answer
"WhereF repeated the court.
In the COW she'd
That will do. Step back" said the court
sharply. Then turning to the officer he said
This case Is postponed for a week. Have
Grass and sons here. / intend to Sift this
matter To the bottom There may be no law
by which can treat this matter as it de-
serves, but | shall make full inquiry. In the
meantime want the Humane society Of
ficers here TO listen to the testimony. II is
case for them"