The herald., 1897-07-29
The Alleged Brutal Whip
ping at Sierra Madre
IN COURT ON HABEAs CORPUS
THE COUNTY SCHOOL sUPERIN-
TENDENT'S REPORT
Embodies Data Of Most Interesting
Character-A Chinese Company
Adopts Western Methods

IA rather miserable looking scrap of
humanity sat in department one yester-
day afternoon while the learned counsel
turned over their law to try to find
out whether he would have to return
with his father to the home from whence
he ran away over a week ago.
The lads name is Edward Raymond
LOOMS, and the fact of his having run
away from his home at Sierra Madre
to escape the alleged inhuman beatings
of his father has already been told by
The Herald. Yesterday the father
sought to recover possession of the boy
by habeas corpus proceedings.
The matter came up before Judge
Smith and the humane officer went upon
the witness stand and told what he knew
regarding the lad. He stated that his
attention had been drawn to the lad by
the deputy sheriff at Pasadena, from
whence his way was paid to Los Angeles.
Witness took him to the district attor-
neys office and for week he had been
cared for by someone in that office. Fail
ing to determine what should be done
with the boy he was taken to the Or
phans' home.
SIS there any statute law that makes
a parent forfeit his right to the custody
of his child for inhumanity?" inquired
the court. eff there is not there is no use
going into the case"
That set the lawyers hustling to see
just what the law did say on the point.
Meantime Captain Clark stated that he
had examined the boys body and found
the back and lower limbs lined with
discolorations, despite the fact that the
little fellow himself said his wounds had
healed.
Mr. and Mrs. Loomis, the father and
step-mother of the boy, were both in
court and Judge Smith asked the father
what truth there was in the allegations
of inhumanity made against him. Mr..
LOOMS, who is quite well-appearing
man, replied that he was in perfect
ignorance, and saving the fact that on
the Friday his son ran away he boxed
his ears for lying he had not whipped
him. He claimed that until recently he
was away from home most of the time
in following his business as a travelling
salesman, and his wife treated the boy
too kindly and he presumed upon it. The
i'll health of Mrs LOOMS compelled the
husband to surrender his position, an6
during his stay at his home the boy
Ed, had not been severely beaten at all
He was working with me in the fore
noon of last Friday week." said Mr.
Loomis, land when we returned to thu
house dinner was not quite ready, so
told him to go and get bag of grass fo
the cow. 1 dozed off to sleep, and wher
1 awakened and went to find Ed he haC
disappeared. After looking around TO
some time 1 saw him skulking alons
minus both bag and grass When ques
toned him he lied and 1 boxed his ears
and then I went and fed the COW anC
horse before going in to dinner. When
did so Ed again disappeared and l hav,
not seen him since until few moment.
ago. He has been in the habit of running
away, and this last time 1 advertised 70
him and also notified the police"
By the time Mr.. LOOMS had concluded
his explanation it had been found tina
no law made the inhumanity of a paren
reason for enforcing the forfeiture o
his child, and so the court held that MI
LOOMS might take his boy home. II
did this the more readily, he stated, a
a charge had been preferred against tn
father and later the whole matter woul
be inquired into.
Albeit Mr.. LOOMS so emphatically de
MED being cruel to his boy there are PEG
pie at Sierra Madre who maintain to tn
contrary, and, it is said, bitter feeling
has been engendered in the communit
by the brutal fioggings administered t
the boy.