The Jersey City news., 1906-11-10
CHILD KEPT LIKE DOG
Couple Accused Of Claiming Six
year-old Boy to Stake In
Corncrib.
TWO YEARS UNsHELTERED.
Little Wait chatters Like Monkey
When Released and Runs Away From
sun-Weak Minded, He Is Treated
Like an Animal by Parents-Latter
Held on Cruelty Charge,

-NS 1H TtiiItat ny TarSHts--LatIer
Held on Cruelty Charge
New York, Nov. 10.--Within half an
hours journey of Broadway a small,
helpless human being has been chain
ed to a stake In an abandoned corn
crib with no protection for almost two
years
Such was the appalling story told
before Magistrate Connorton in the
Flushing police court when Mr.. and
Mrs. Peter Nelson were brought be-
fore him on charge Of cruelty to
children.
The victim, six-year-old imbecile
boy, was carried into the courtroom
clad in the remnants OF a ragged cot
ton dress, his only other protection
from the weather being a filthy wool
en- cloth bound around his head.
Chained Whom He Grew Violent.
The child was found locked in a
corncrib behind the Nelson house.
This had been, 1t is charged, his only
habitation for upward Of a year and
q half. The crib was built of Stats,
with spaces of nearly an inch be-
tween them. Owing to his weak mind
the baby boy was treated like an AMI
NAL. AT times he would, it is said,
grow violent. A chain in the corner of
the corncrfb was mute evidence Of his
treatment on such occasions
When the detectives arrived they Sc
cured key and opened the paddock
on the door Of the prison. Chattering
like a monkey, the poor little waif
scampered away on all fours and was
captured with difficulty. His little
limbs were wasted away almost to
the bone, and he waS unable to com
prehsnd a word of tsse English, Dan
ish or Polish spoken TO him Released
again, the child rolled on the ground,
uttering sounds that betokened delight
and were like mixtures OF the bark of
a dog and the whinny of horse.
Gagged In the Crib.
There was a small bowl of water in
the front part Of the crib and a bundle
of old rags IN the rear. From the
roof was suspended by rope can
vas covered bag filed with scraps of
cloth. It's purpose could not be con-
Jectured. An interpreter said that it
was to prevent the boy from hurting
himself when he blundered around the
crib.
The soeisty's agent took the boy
from the CRIB, and a policeman placed
the parents. under arrest. The child,
wearing girls frock, was taken to a
wagon in waiting. The glare of the
sun seemed to frighten him, and he ut
tered sounds like the barking and
growing Of dog. He struggled and
fought 10 be freed, but not with the
intelligent effort of normal child Of
his years.
Father Old and Ignorant.
Nelson, who Ia seventy-four yeass
old and is owner of the farm where he
lives, valued at more than $40, 900, ap-
peared densely ignorant when arraign-
ed before Magistrate Connorton Mrs.
entage She gave her age as forty
years and said she had been married
to Nelson for six years. She denied
that the boy, whose name she says, is
John, had been locked in the corncrib
except at times when she was absent
from home doing work for neighboring
farmers and was unable to care FOR
him. Husband and wife were held IL
$500 bail each for examination on Nov.
16, and the child was given into Gus
tody of the Brooklyn branch Of the So
ciety For the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children.