The times., 1897-04-14
NO LAW PROTECTS THEM
Children Can Be Cruelty Treated
by Their Parents.
Case of Roy Shqemaker-Dri
Into the Street and His Clothing
Pitched After Hin.

A father may beat his child with a club
until there are marks and big blue wets
on its body for days and days; he may turn
his child cut in the street and tell him never
to come home again, and Ihe may throw
his child S clothes into the guJter and swear
at him, and there is n % law in the District
of Columbia TO punish the parent.
This state OF affairs was brought out
yesterday in the police court when Super
inten dent Herbert w. Lewis and \ gent S.
s. Parkman, of the board of children 8
guardians, appeared before Judge KimbaIl
and asked to have fifteen-year- r-old Roy
Shoemaker given into their care The
story that was unfolded was pitiful. The
boy is the son of Joseph A. Shoemaker .gho
lives at No 824 Fifth street northeast.
Shoemaker is clerk in the Pension Office
and receives a salary of 500 per month.
In addition TO this he has pension of ST 2
a month. Shoemaker has beer twice mar
ried. His first wife died some years ago.
the second lives with the man and his
three surviving children in the Fifth
street house. According to the testimony
yesterday the stepmother is the cause
of all the trouble. Until she came there
was peace in the family since she arrived
there has been nothing but war Shoe
maker formerly lived in Ohio When his
first wife died he placed his children in an
asylum.
In 1889 he married again, and soon
after ward came here to live. IS the chill
dren grew up they were removed, one by
one, from the asylum and obliged to 90
to work as soon as they We're old enough
to make their earnings OF interest to the
father Roy was the last TO leave the
asylum. He came here, but could not
find employment at first, and was finally
placed in a school. His teachers spoke of
him as bright, well-lnannered little chap,
and he was a favorite with his comrades.
At home, however, things were different
Roy was continually in hot water. and
seemed to be always incurHng his fathers
diSpleasure, Try as he might, he could
not please his parent, and the old-fas honed
leather strap was often in use Things W ent
from bad to worse, and finally Shoemaker
threatened to turn his son out of doors
The climax came Monday evening. Roy
and his sister were playing together. and
lie accidentally struck the girl in the face
with a towel His father saw the blow,
and became very angry Selling a Club,
he rushed at his son agd gave him
frightful beating The boy ran from the
house and the father followed. In the
street the chastsement was continued.
and the little fellow was made black and
blue from the beating.
Shoemaker told the boy never to re-
turn. Then ne went into the house and
found Roy's clothes and pitched them
int ctu -. ~. g,
and cold, and the boy had no place to go.
Guy Shoemaker, the eldest of the three
children, took his brother to the home
of Mrs c. Il. White, No. 500 Seventh
street, where the little chap was pro
vided for during the night.
Guy Shoemaker came to Mr.. Lewis and
told the story of his brothers. trouble.
Mr. Lewis knows Mrs White very well
and at her suggestion he investigated the
case, and found the facts as above stated
The father was in police court today
ana in reply to Judge Kimhall's questions
he said: You can do just what you please
with my boy. | Will admit that our home
is not as pleasant as it might he. and per
hapS it would he much better il he never
comes back"
In speaking of the case, Supt. Lewis
characterized 1t as one Of the most pitiful
that had come under his observation in
some time. He spoke of the present state
of affairs as disgra ceful, and pointed out
that there was at present no law In the
District with which to punish parents
or guardians who failed to provide for
their children or wards To remedy this
evil Mr.. Lewis has prepared bill which
Senator Mcmillan has introduced in the
Senate, and it is hoped that it viii pass
during the present session The bill pro-
vides a penalty of ST co or three months
imprisonment, or both, in cases where a
parent has neglected or mistreated his
child. The second section provides that if
the child has been given into the care of
the Board of Children's Guardians its eX-
penses shall be borne by the parent if they
own property or are earning anincome.