Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-06

 ing the child at home I went to Atlanta. l worked with a dressmaker in Atlanta named Mrs. Alice Curtis, at IF Garnet street. The oldest child left home in Jonesyille shortly after 1 returned from the infrmary, about the last of June. His name was Fred. He told one of the neighbors that he was going to leave home. He told the neighbors that he didn't like his Stepmother and wasn't going to stay in the house with her. l had occasion to whip the other children, but have not done anything but slap them since I have been sick.
 When Fred left home l heard the chil- dren in the yard quarreling. l was in bed When l sent for the children to come into the house the smaller ones came in and I told them to tell Fred that if he didn't keep quiet 1 would have his father to attend to him. That was the last l heard of him until the smaller children told me he had run away.
 T. J. Carter.
 The next witness called was MT T. J. Carter, who lives in Jonesyille, near the scene of the child's death. On being put on the stand he said:
 My name is T. J. Carter and live in Jonesville, this county, about Sixteenth avenue and Sixteenth street. l have been living there a year the 3d day of this month. l know MT and Mrs. Howe. They live across the street from me, about forty yards I heard frequently considerable fussing and fretting with the children at the Howe house I have never seen the little child (deceased) whipped, but could hear it.
 l occasionally heard Mrs Howe make the child run up and down their hall and at the same time whip it. The oldest boy, Fred, was being rocked about July 13 or II by his two little brothers. It seemed the woman ar the negress ser want had tried to catch him, and falling, had set the two youngest ones to rock ing him. l called the boy and took him into our house an1 told him he must leave home, and he said he had no cloth ing
 Mrs. Howe was standing in the door, way when the younger boys were rock ing the oldest one. She was crying to them to kill him. I think they were doing it through fear. A colored woman who cooks for Dr. Motley came along and asked the boys why they were rock ing their brother and they told her they were going to kill him or drive him away.
 I keep a lot of chickens and while hunting them one day. I heard Mrs. Howe beating one of the children. I went up to the house and asked Mrs. Howe why she was doing so much thrashing and she said that the boy had coughed all night and in the morning he had gone out in the dew. The boys eyes were badly bruised and I asked about it. She said 1t was caused by his going out in some grape vines. l can say she was beating the boy for nearly an hour as I heard it.
 I saw her once whipping the second youngest boy, Johnnie. She had him stripped and was whipping him with switches. She stopped the whipping when I went in. Before Mrs. Howe came back from the inflrmary the colored ser l.. T -l,r s.Ft I.N.1r 1nGF was no racket there, and I believe the colored woman could have cured the child who was sick
 Mrs. Howe did not send for either me or my wife on the day the little child died. One of the boys came over and said mamma wanted some sweet milk, as little Tommie was dying. My wife went over to the house and soon l foi- lowed The child was lying on the col ored woman's bed. It was dead l felt of its arms and body and could not hear or feel the heart beating. I did not mo- ,tice a tub of water near the bed, but my wife says there was water there.
 I left before my wife did. When my wife came home she asked me what l wanted, and l said l didn't send for her. My wife told me Mrs. Howe had asked her to dress the child, but she told her she could not. My wife said she had sent Tor Mrs McClusky, and Mrs. Howe said Mrs McClusky shall have nothing to do with the child. I have heard 1t said in my neighborhood that Mrs. Howe came out of a house of questionable character. MT Howe's first wife died during the Confederate Veterans reunion here, anh they were married before September, when I moved out into that neighbor- hood.
 Rebecca Hawkins.
 The next witness was Rebecca Hawk inS a colored woman. Her statement was:
 My name is Rebecca C"Puss'D Hawk ins, and I live in Jonesville, and right down the hill from the Howe residence. I can hear from my house the children playing at their house. l have known the HoWes since they moved there. She was sick and sent for me to wait on her. She was sick before MT. Howe married her. from what I heard. One day she was in bed and one of the smallest chil- dren fretted her. She called the child to the bedside and grabbed it by the back of the head, pulled into the bed and slappee it three or four times.
 I told her not to trouble herself so much One day before she went to the infirmary I was over to their house. The smallest child was lying on the bed. Mrs. Howe looked at the child and spoke to it about what it had done in the bed. l walked out of the room, and while l was out I heard three licks struck, but can
 
 child cry. When l came in again the child looked like it had a spasm. She said she had scolded the child. She told me the little thing was fretting because she had scoded it. and it was so tender hearted.
 She went to the bed and said to the child: Hug and kiss your mamma She kissed the child The child put it's arms around her neck.
 The child asked me to give 1t some water and commenced crying. gave the child a little water. Never saw Mrs. Howe whip the children with switch. One day l was over at their house and one of the children returned from Bakers store. She asked the boy what had kept him so long The boy said he could not get waited on and Mrs. Howe said don't tell me no story or I'll whip you" told Mrs. Howe not to worry herself, and she turned to me and said that she could kill the children if it wouldn't get out on her or be known. because they fretted her so. I told her not to worry herself with the children I have not been at the Howe residence in the last month.
 Written Statement of Mrs. E. A. Carter.
 Coroner Dusenberry then had read to the jury Mrs. F. A. Carters statement. She is the wife of MT. Y. J. Carter. It