Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-16
Girl
HAD GOOD HOME
WITH NESBITTS
Those Familiar With Conditions in
Family Refute Tales Of Cruel
ty Related by the Miss.

! "A pack OF lies" is the way John
D. Morford, father of Mrs. W. H.
Nesbitt of near Burgess, character
lied stories and rumors of ILL
usage alleged to have been visited
upon 12-year-old Martha Peterson,
who had been cared for and cloth
ed for over four years by the Mes
bitt family.
'I can prove by any number OF
persons that they are not So" said
Mr.. Morford, hurt and angered at
the reflection which he feels was
cast upon his daughter and upon
the family name. Anyone who is
in a position to know will tell you
that Martha had a good home and
was well treated.
THE Argus Wronged me and my
family when it published the story
told by a girl, tired and frightened
after a long, nine-mile cross-coun-
try tramp and temporarily embit-
tered against my daughter and her
husband because of a minor diff
Guilty and switching which occurred
just before she ran away. She was
not responsible for what she said
under such conditions"
Mr.. Morford, one time member
Of the county board Of supervisors,
is we'll known throughout his sec
ton of Mercer county south of
Aledo and with members OF his
family enjoy a high place in pub
lie esteem.
Mr.. Morford, Mr.. Nesbitt and
Robert Hutchinson, the Nesbitt
hired hand, were in Aledo yester-
day.
"Any of the neighbors and Hutch
inson there, who has been with US
for three years, will tell you that
Martha had a good home and that
we never mistreated her. Like all
children, she was punished once in
awhile for necessary things-that
is common in the rearing Of little
ones. But she was never switched
without cause and she was not
overworked," declared Mr.. Nesbitt.
when she was given to US four
years ago we took her in and fed
and clothed her. She was given
plenty of spending money when
reaching the proper age and was
allowed to bring her girl chums to
our home. We took her with US
whenever we went out. She had a
pony for her own use. She had
good clothes and plenty of them.
She was always given what we
had to eat. She was given no
cause for discomfort or complaint.
When she was willful sometimes
she would be switched. The switch
was only one of the miniature baby
whips that can be had at every
fair"
In the story told county officials
here Martha admitted that she was
given a sufffciency of good cloth
ing and that she had always eaten
at the Nesbitt table with members
Of the family and had all she
wanted.
And I paid for it ALL" Mr.. Mes
bitt continued. when she ran
away we discovered her absence
about 10 minutes afterward. l i'm |
went out to search for |
her with a party of neighbors. We |
hunted all day and all that night. |
The sheriff did not get there until |
the next morning. Although the |
dogs were sent for, we continued |
TO hunt. She was not located by !
the hounds, but by our party, fol-
lowing a telephone call from the |
people to whose home the girl had |
gone. The dogs were several city /
blocks away when we found her. |
Before she was taken to Aledo by |
Sheriff Fleming she was given a
bath by my wife. At that time she /
mad only one mark upon her body,
I slight bruise on her back which
might have been made in any one
If hundred ways during her
trip.
"Her father (Charles Peterson)
s responsible for all the trouble.
Martha was always contented and
happy and we got along fine to-
yether until her father would visit
Ter. He would leave wrong ideas
With Martha and it was then that
The would become discontinued.
lie originally had the boy, but upon
lis inability to take care OF him the
ad was given to my brother. who
las supported and given him a good
ZONE ever since. The father has
lever contributed anything to the
support of either Martha or her
,rother"
The story told by Mr.. Nesbitt was
.orroborated by the hired man.
Ar. Nesbitt stated that there were
.lso many neighbors and acquaint-
Lnces who could testify as to its
ruth.
The Nesbitt family is held in re-
pect in and around Burgess. Mr..
nd Mrs. Nesbitt being highly
bought of by those who know them
n that vicinity.
Mrs. Nesbitt before her mar
iage taught school in Presumption
ownship. where she has a large
irc1e of friends.