The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-08-13
FATHER SENT
70 PRISON
PARENT WHO LOCKED LITTLE SON
IN BASEMENT WITH COBS AND
BONES TO EAT.
DID NOT REALIZE CRUELTY,
But for Plea of Attorneys, Albert Sepiu
Might Have Been Sentenced for
Year for 0ifenSe.
ARE SHOWN IN COURT.


To the rattle of the heavy COW chains
he had used to shackIe his boy to the
floor of Grimy, dingy basement with,
Albeit Sepin. arrested Saturday for
cruel treatment of his son, cndeavorcd
in vain to explain away his medieval
methods TO Judge Neelcn this morning.
Surrounded by crowd of curious peo-
pie, including attorneys, officials and
newspaper men, Sepin was asked by his
attorney, John J. Nlach, to tell his
story
Father Feared Dungeon.
"A policeman told me | should whip
my boy and tie him up" began Scpin,
II slight, dark man with rowing eyes.
The boy begS, steals and runs away,
and | could not manage him. | under
stood that | would be thrown into dun
geun if | did not keep the boy in the
est man There was no virtuous ring
in Sepin's voice when he spoke this sen
timont. no fathcrly pride in his glance
when it rested for a moment on tn"
stopped figure of the little 9-ycar-old IN
the chat" opposite, who looked over the
scene with duh, unrealizing eyes.
The tale of cruelty that WAS untolded
Clayton of the Humane society found
the child chained to the floor with cohN
of corn and a few gnawrd bones lying
about him, was added to in important
particulars when PatrOlman Carpenter
took the stand i'll police court.
Found After Midnight.
Il found the boy three days ago on
Fifth and Nlict streets at O'Clock N
the morning cold, hungry and scared
half to death, afraid to 20 home. AT
other times | have known him 10 sleep
outdoors for weeks on an Old couch under
the rear stairway of the old building
where the people live. | sent him home
and told the father to take care OF INN
in the future
The man continued to insist that he
believed that he was doing right in
furnishing his boy as he did. He SAID
that the boy remained away from home
for three weeks. Ilc charged his son
with stealing money from little girls sent
to the stores in the vicinity To purchase
supplies, and with stealing fruit Patrol
man Carpenter said that these charges
were true in part. but laid the cause to
the hoy being starved by his parent.
Supt. Clayton pulled mp the waist of
the little fellow in court and showed
Judge \celcn the great blue wclts where
the father had pounded the boy with a
piece of hose The shackles which he
wore when found were also displayed,
aud the iinglng of the chains made grim
music during the progress of taking tcS-
timonl
1T is simply horrible to contemplate
the misery of the boy chained To base
ment floor Ike dog, with bones and
corn thrown to him to eat" said Judge
Nrclcr. The punishment was simply
barbarouS'
Il acknowledges it was barbarous,
said Attorney Nlach, and if this man
was a born American Il" should deserve
the scvorcSt penalty that the law al
lows. but he was brought up in coun
try whore such things ar" common. He
has suffered them himself and does not
know any better. If You punish him
you will punish his family.
Goes to Workhouse.
Ills family will be taken care Of, :
said Judge Neolcn by the county All
rhorities. and 50 will this boy, but til,
man must 20 to the workhouse without
Il fine.
Assistant District Attorney Edwin
Van Vechtrn suggested that the extreme
opnalty. one year in the workhOusc was
too severe, and asked that the man be