The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-11
INHUMANITY TO A CHILD.
A SHOCKING STORY BROUGHT OUT
IN THE GEARY CASE.

The Little One Whipped With Strap
and Cold Water Poured on Her in a
Tub-The Father Accused of Drunk
enness-The Child Not to be Given
Back 70 Finn.
/ ATLANTA. GA. April 10.-After hearing
/ the evidence in the habeas corpus case
/ brought by r. w. Geary against Father
: Kelly AM the Sisters of Charity ia compel
the surrender Of Nellie Geary, the COM
/ piainant's little daughter, Ordinary Cal
hOun this morning decided in favor Of the
church people AID committed the child TO
their care, With the recommendation that she
be given to hsr aunt. Evidence was adj
duced which convinced the ordinary that
the father of the girl was a drunkard and
practiced the most abominable cruelty
! toward the child. Nellie herself declared
that he had placed her in a tub on u bitter
cold day and poured two buckets of chilling
water over her because she had worn out
her shoes.
a SPECIMEN THREAT.
He threatened to tie her up by the
thumbs and once put a rope about her neck
to hang her, She never stole money as
charged by her parent and tried to do what
was right. He drove her out of the house
two weeks ago and told her 10 20 to -.
She went to a store and he followed her and
drove her out into the street again. A little
boy found her and took her to two ladies,
who carried her to the priest The child
was very nervous and chung to Mrs. Dun
can. her dead mothers sister, the whole
time.
BRUTAL WHIPPING.
a npiOhhOs. hat ha
Geary give Nellie such severe whipping
with a strap that the witness and his wife
were constrained to retire from their uorch
to get out of reach of the child's heartrend-
ing cries IL was one OF Geary's own wit
nesses who made this statement A police
man said he had arrested Geary Monday
last and hauled him to the station drunk
In the patrol wagon. Others testified to the
mans occasional drunkenness.
FEMALE WITNESSES.
Five or six ladies were put on the stand.
One testified that she lived next door to
Geary. One night a few months ago she
heard awful groans In GearY'S house, and
the next day Nellie said her father had tied
her up by the thumbs. The witness had
heard the children screaming and running
about the house, and had seen Gearv
after them with hickory sticks and leather
straps. Geary's daughters Jennie and
Annie, the latter being Nellie's
twin sister, together with the other, testified
THAT their father treated all Of his children
well and never whipped them excessively.
Nellie was bad and needed whipping. She
had been put in the tub OF water to reduce
her to obedience. Several witnesses thought
GearY's character good and that he pre-
tected and provided for his children.
GEARY's STORY
Geary himself claimed that Nellie was
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told lies and ran away from home. lie
loved his children, supported them, and
only whipped them when they deserved it.
Wren be told Nellie to leave home he only
meant for her to walk around the block.
She went to the sisters and he demanded her
restoration. but was refused both by
them and the priest. He poured cold water
on Nellie TO correct her. He never tied her
up by the thumbs. He only threatened to
do so. He also denied having rubbed salt
into the sore spots after strapping the girl
lie had been accused of drunkenness, but
never justly.
STORY OF THE PRIEST.
Father Kelly stated that Nellie was
brought to him about two weeks ago by
two ladies. The child was in rags. and one
of her ears was bleeding and her hands
were bruised and swollen. She begged not
TO be taken back to her father. and told of
very cruel treatment suffered at his hands.
He placed her with the sisters, and next
day called on Geary, whom he found in his
cups lie had often seen Geary drunk
The priests object in keeping the child was
to protect her and put her in proper hands.
The ladies who took the child from tho
streets corroborated the priests statements.
especially as to the blood and bruises. Or
binary Calhoun said if a plain case of cruel
treatment had not been made out, he didn't
know what ought to be considared cruelty
He then ordered the child returned to the
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