The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-03-17
CHAPTER xvl-continued.

~But tnlS scneine OF llIe nau this In
II that brought disaster TO his sons
laxness Of any discipline related to
their spiritual and mental develop
meut. When we were corrected or
punished IL was for conduct which af-
fected his comfort or dignity, never
for thing which affected the develop
ment OF our character.
1--WE had abundant money to spend.
II was a part Of our fathers egotism
that we should be young swells, and
we were early In dlsorderly ways.
Richard had genius for cruelty. A
normal boy is likely to be thoughtless,
but Richard was inventive In his cru
elites. 1t was brutal. He liked to
tear things to pieces slowly, fly II It
was all he could catch-a grasshopper,
field mouse. ] had faithful little
dog which Richard staked out in the
ground and killed by vivisectlon.
saw the little animal when 1t was
breathing Its last with Its bowels ex-
posed and Its lungs laid bare.
"Richard destroyed birds nests for
pleasure. He liked to cut a leg of a
hen and see 1t stagger about vainly
trying to walk. He MANNED dogs. He
tortured cattle and horses. He killed
a fine carriage horse by driving II to
death purposely to see how long II
would live under the treatment he
gave 1t.
"I doubt that was a more lovable
child, but at least I did not have the
attribute of cruelty. / was not only
younger but was weaker physically.
was sensitive to degree which made
me an extraordinary victim to Richard
when he cared to express his fiendish-
ness to or upon me.
1--WE were getting into late child
hood should say that I was about
fourteen-when Richard began to use
his inventiveness in cruelty upon me
directly. AS soon as he had taste
of the delight which came from tor
menting me had no further peace.
81 remember with a still agonized
vividness my experience in finding
snake in my bed. He had put it there.
He used his superior strength to tor
ture me physically. He dominated me
spiritually. He made life hell, such
hell as life can be made only for a
child by mlstreatment when reality
has not starkly asserted itself, when
proportions are not established and
when illusions can be kindly or hide
Gus.
'Richard and grew up in this fash
ion, In terror of him and his malevo-
lence. When was fifteen mother died.
She had been an unassertive mother.
Circumstances and conditions were be-
yond her strength of mind or body, but
she had been friend, and / missed
her cruelty 1t was really terrible
loss at time when / much needed
friend
"As we grew older Richards dia-
bollcal habits became only shrewder,
not less assertive. He contrived the
most ingenious schemes for my tor
ment He humiliated me whenever
possible before other boys and, better
for his purpose, before girls.
my father put us out to school to-
gether. and this suited Richards pur-
pose admirably. How l hated this
thing that bore my name and my blood
1t became an indomitable hate. 1t
exists to this day. No human being
ever was so hated by another as my
brother Richard was by me-and is
is to this moment and will be hated
while a breath remains In my body.
"when i was eighteen my father
died, and Richard and 1 inherited the
estate under a trusteeship to continue
until was twenty-one. Richard was
then twenty. In another year he at
tained his majority. He was profiigate
and wild, heavy drinker, coarse,
cruel boor, licentious young ruffian
who had suffered twice In actions
brought by weak and unfortunate
girls.
ut irritated him beyond expression
that he had to wait the slow process
Of my coming of age before he could
come into his share of the property.
His constant demeanor toward me was
violent. Several times tried to estab-
lish the reasonable relations which
ought. In convention, to exist between
brothers. It was quite hopeless, and
my hate for this boor came to be an
insane passion. 1t remains as a pas
Aion now.
II may not be able to satisfy anyone
that this was the inevitable conse-
quence of the treatment given me, but
could II were to elaborate the de-
tails-or merely state theal. However
my purpose is not so much to indlct
my brother as to record my own tri-
umph-to assist the commission Of a
crime which has been Of intense salts
faction to me. n crime In which have
maintained my culpability with Joy
and from which Richard has suffered
and is suffering.
"He Is a broken old man. He Is In
a pcnitentiary."
Here followed a section Of the man
uscript from which, as recognized
the page Dravada had taken was miss