Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-02-21
MANS INHUMANITY
Heart Sickening Story Of British
ness and Cruelty.
MEASURES OF RELIEF TAKEN

Halifax Mans Abuse of His Own Kin
One Neglected Child Nearly Dead
Today-Some of the Shocking
Stories Told.
Conditions which have come to
light during the past few days indicate
that there is still a field for action in
Windham county for those who are
interested in stamping out cruelty to
animals and to human beings. AS
stated in The Phoenix recently Mrs.
Jennie B. Powers, agent of the Yer
mont Humane society, notified Fred
Miller of Halifax that he must provide
better shelter for his stock. Mrs.
Powers and Chief-of-Police Hall drove
to Halifax one day last week to see If
Miller had paid any attention to the
notice. They found that he had. On
their way home they stopped at the
house of Henry c.. Bell about half
mile east of the Grove postofiice, Mrs.
Powers having been informed that
Bell was of an abusive disposition and
that frequently he gave vent to his
brutal temper by abusing his wife,
children and live stock. The evil
dence which they found made them
feel warranted in entering complaint
against Bell with States Attorney
Weston of Bellows Falls.
Mr.. Weston came to Brattleboro
Saturday, but was busy with other
matters so that he had to postpone
making a trip to Halifax He came
to Brattleboro again Monday morning
and started for Halifax with Chief
Hall, but on reaching Green River
the snow storm which ragged all day
had become so severe that the trip
was given up. 1t is probable that
further action will be taken in due
time. The circumstances as reported
certainly call for it.
To Phoenix representative Mrs.
Powers said that the interior of the
Bell house was indescribably filthy
When she called Bell was away, but
Mrs. Bell and four children were at
home. The youngest child was two
years old and the oldest was about
seven. A baby died last fall. Mrs.
Bell wore a short skirt and a pair of
mems boots. Barrels and boxes were
piled up in the room. There was a
bed in the room and on the bed was
one child who was i'll. The three other
children were on the floor in one cor
ner. Mrs. Bell was asked where the
children slept. She replied: 1.-TWO
of them sleep with u.s." She said the
other two slept on the floor where they
were. There was some old carpeting
in that corner. One child had scar
on its face, which the mother said was
caused by falling against stove. Mrs.
Powers inquired of some Of the neigh
bors concerning the condition of
things at the Bell house and was &C.
Quainted with particulars which were
revolving beyond expression. It is sur
prising that, If reports are true, as
generally accepted, such a state of
things should have been allowed to
continue.
Mrs. Powers, feeling that the sick
child needed immediate attention, ir-
respective of what was done with the
parents, went to the Bell house yester-
day, accompanied by DR.. c. R. Aldrich.
They met Bell mile from his house
and. not knowing who he was, inquired
of him the way to the house. On
reaching the house they found that the
| overseer of the poor had left but few
minutes before, and that Bell had been
sent to Green River for provisions.
Mrs. Bell and the children were at
home. The interior of the house had
been improved in appearance, in a
measure, boxes, barrels and hens hav-
ing been moved out Of the living room
since Mrs. Powers's first visit. DR..
Aldrich pronounced the illness of the
| male child two years old to be rachitis,
or as commonly known, Tickets" in a
| pronounced form. Four ribs were ap-
parently broken about an inch from the
spine and the right side of the chest
was caved in. The child was in an
, utterly filthy condition, the hair on it's
head being matted down. It was very
| poor, the absence of flesh being a
symptom of the disease. The eyes also
were in an infiammatory condition.
| The visitors did not discover that any
| bodily harm had been done to the
child by violence. DR.. Aldrich left
prescriptions and gave Mrs. Bell to I'M
derstand in very positive way, that
immediate care must be taken in order
to save the child's life. With proper
care the child will recover unless pneu-
monia develops, as it is very likely to
do in cases of Tickets" Mrs. Powers
asked Mrs Bell If she would use suit
able clothing for the children and for
the bed If 1t was provided, and Mrs.
Bell answered that she should be
thankful to do so. 1t appears, however,
that Bell is able to furnish these neces-
saries OF life If so disposed Mrs.
Powers and DR.. Aldrich were repeated
ly asked by neighbors along the road
about the condition of things at the
Bells, and the women expressed de-
vout thanks that something was at
last to be done.
While the absence of positive proof
makes it advisable not to print some
of the things alleged against Bell,
The Phoenix has learned from those
who have had experiences with him
enough to show his general dispos-
ition. Nathan H. Mann, who lives
at the corner of Pine and Central