Evening journal., 1897-04-29
CRUELTY TO A CHILD.
A Story That is Unparalleled
For Brutal Treatment.
WORE MEMS SHOES AND STOCKINGS

MARGARET SHIPPERS, A 11-YEAR-
OLD CHILD WHIPPED WITH
WHIPS AND STICKS - THE
BRUIsERs FINED FOR so DO
ING.
A case without a parallel for brutal
treatment was heard before Magis-
trate Prtcheet this morning. January
last, Margaret Shippers. a small child.
was bound out to Samuel Lane. who
lives near Centrevillo. The chi,d's
mother was poor and. not wishing to
put her daughter in an orphan asylum,
placed her with the Lanes. A short
time ago Mrs. Simpers called to see her
daughter, and just as she reached the
lane leading to Lanes farm the little
girl ran to her and sobbingly told a
story of her brutal treatment Mrs.
Shippers said nothing, and upon a sec
ond visit 10 her daughter was informed
that another whipping had taken place
The mother examined the child and
found her body black and blue. She
came to Wilmington and put the case
in the hands of Agent Frank Stout. OF
the S. p. G. c. The officer made an in
vestigation From the chlds state
ment he learned that she had been
beaten with whips and sticks. Mr..
Stout brought the girl to the police sta
ton. where Police Matron Wogan at
tended TO her She was rubbed with
ointment for several days to reduce the
marks and swellings on her body,
caused by the whips
HEARING OF THE CASE.
The Lanes we're arrested and had a
hearing before Magistrate Pritchett
this morning The first witness called
was Agent Stout He said that the
case was fully investigated, and he
found 1t to be the worst ever brought
to his attention.
Police Matron Wogan said that she
examined the child, and found her legs
and knees black and blue. Her body
was of blackish purple color. She
screamed with pain when touched. Il
called Chief of Police DOlan and asked
him to look at the child, but refused,
saying that he could not stand It,, said
Mrs. Wogan.
Mrs Shippers said: 81 met with my
daughter In the lane and she asked me
TO take her home. as the Lanes had
whipped her The clothes on the child
were ragged and dirty. and l saw marks
on her body evidently produced by
whipping / asked her why they had
whipped her. and she told me that
some one had broken a tea-cup and she
was accused of doing t. My daughter
| told me that the Lanes had repeatedly
whipped her without provocation."
Elsie Woodward testified that she ac-
cdmpanied Mrs Shippers on the visit To
her daughter, and corrorborated hel
testimony.
Margaret Shippers, the child. took the
stand and said that she would be II
years old next July. and told of the
whippings she had received. Upon be-
| ing questioned by Willard Hall Porter
counsel for the S. =. G. c., the child said
that she had been beaten with whips
and sticks.
Mrs. Lane cross-questioned Margaret
| regarding her condition when taken TO
the Lane place. The child said that
she was well dressed when her mother
took her there. Mrs. Lane asked Mar
garet if she was not barefooted where
upon she replied. mo, )ut the next
day you gave me a pair OF mems shoes
and stockings The mother corrobor-
ated the child's statement regarding
the mems shoes and stockings Mrs
Shippers also said that her daughter
was kept thinly clad.
Magistrate Prltchett fined the Lanes
$40 and costs each