New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-11

the bathroom in the dark The case for the petitioner
closed and after recess Robert was called TO the
stand testify for the respondent. He Is remark
ably brigh, boy. and he answered the questions put
to him in a manly fashion that the heart OF the
Justice He said that ne left his stepmoher and went
to live with his aunt because Mrs Smith aed him
badly that he could not live with her any longer
His the only rela, tive ne had and she loved
him. s. he to her.
He said that sh 1rtly before he left his stepmother
he was bitten in the leg by dog The wound
scarcely healed when his stepmother bea, him with
a whip. he said. across the wound and he could hardly
stand the pain. Before she whipped him. she told
him TO take of ali his outer clothes. That in the
morning before he to his aunt.
Were YOU pretty good boy?" asked Justice
Dickey
We'll don't think was 50 awfully bad" re-
Piled Robert Not any worse than other boys"
when your father lived did ne ever punish you?''
Yes. ne always did the furnishing then"
How often did ne punish you
Since he married my stepmother think 1t
How often Las your stepmother punished YOU"
k2ber; thought a moment Then he said: she
is always furnishing me"
his aunt she sent dispatch 10 his siepmot her 10
Jet her know where he was His aun, told him that
he was free to 20 back at any time and urged
".'Why dld4'[ you CO." asked Justice Dckey.
Because love nay aunt best was the quick
doesn't she punish you?'
les, II am udu. Dut SDc mas mad no occasion
punish ne"
The little witness said thar ne used to get nothing
bur oatmeal for his breakfast. although his stem
mother had meat. He wanted bread and butter
and coffee. for he did not Ike the oatmeal but Mrs
Smith told him that the oatmeal filed him IN
enough. When ne did not do exactly as she wanted
him TO- he WAS put In 4 dark room. Regarding his
stcpmothcr's conversation about his father Robert
said: she said sh" had him drunk and she
talked every way about him. until she made me
cry She said he drunken man. she said ne
stole and almost said that he had murdered Il man -
Did she 90 that oftcn|' asked counsel
'WhcneVcr was bad. she did il AS Il punishment
She was not Kind or ancctiOnatc. and she ALWAYS
did more for my sister than she did for me She
gave her nicer things and more Of them"
and said that she was the only relative of the hoy
When he came TO her on May he was nervous and
his body full Of bruises His lower legs were
covered with welts. as If he had been struck with
some heavy instrument. He carelessIy dressed
and his clothes were In 4 bad condition. The shoes
which ne had worn were produced in court and the
soles were almost entirely gone.
Counsel on both sides summed up the case and
then Justice Dickcy said that he thought H., would
dismiss the writ TIL, best thing for Robert was
be placed where he would he the appiest and II
plain to be seen that there no love lost be-
tween him and his stepmother Robert could
hardly contain himself when he heard the DISPOSE
tion which the Justice made OF his case X. ran to
Mrs Mid1leditch. and. with his arms about her
neck told her how glad he that he did not have
O lea-e her