Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1921-05-14
CHAPTER .XVI-Continued.


that brought disaster to his SONS
lhNneSS of any discipline related to
their spiritual aud mental develop
ment. When We were corrected or
punished il was for cnndurt which af-
fect"d his comfort or dignity. never
mcnt of our character
"We had abundant money Ia spend
II was a part Of our fathers cgotiSn
that we should he young Swclls. and
we were early In diSorderly ways
Richard had genius for cruelty. \
normal boy is likely to be thuughtlc~S
hat Richard was inventive I'm his cru
elites. II was brutal. He liked To
tear things 10 pieces slowly. n fly II II
was all he could cntch--a graSShopp"r
field mouse. ] had faithful litll"
dog which RicharJ Stakcd out in th"
ground and KILLED 10y vviSrction. !
saw the little animal when it WAS
breathing it's last with il bowels "N-
posed and ifs lungs laid bare
"Richard destroyed birds nests for
pleasure. lie liked 10 cut q leg 81 .
hen and Sc" it Staggcr about Nainly
trying To walk. ~" MANNED dogs. H."
tortured cattle and horses. lie KILLED
fine earring" horse 10y driving II +"
death purpoS,ty tn see how long il
would live under the treatment hr
gave Il
81 doubt that | WAS more Ioyahl"
child. hut at least | did not hay" the
attribute of cruelty. ! wuS not only
younger hut I was weaker physically.
was sensitive To- q do@r"" which mad"
me- an extraordinary victim to Richard
when he cared to express his ti"HdiSh-
ness To or upon me.
1--WE were getting into lat" child
hood | should say that | was about
fourteen when Richard began tn use
his iuvcntiycucS~ in cruelty upon m"
directly. NS soon rs he had Il taste
of the delight which came from tor
mcnting m" | had no further peace.
81 remember with u still ngnniZcd
vividncsS my experience In finding Il
snake i'm my bed. lie had put II there.
He used his superior strength Ia tor
turc me physically. lie dominated mo
spiritually. He made life hell such
n hell ms life can be made only for Il
child by mistrcatmcut. when reality
has not StarEly 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 malCvo-
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 II was really n terrible
loss NJ time when I much needed a
friend.
AS we grew older Richards dia-
bolical habits became only Shrcwdrr.
NOT less aSScrtivc. lie contrivcd the
most Ingenious schemes for my tor
mcnt He Inundated me whenever
possible before other hoysNSnd better
for his purpose. before girls.
"Ny father put us out In school to
gcthcr AMI this suited Richards pur-
pose admiralty. How | hated this
thing that bore my name and my blood
II became an inhnmitahlr hate. II
exists to this day M human being
ever was 50 hated by another ms my
brother Richard was 10y mc-and is
Is to this moment and win be- hated
while breath remains In my body.
"Whcn I was eighteen my father
died. and Richard and Inherited the
estate under Il trustccShip to continue
until was twenty-onc. Richard was
then twenty. In another year he at
tanned his majority. He was prOtljga'c
and wild. heavy drnker n coarse,
cruel boor. liccntious young rutian
who had suffered twice in actions
brought by veal; and unfortunate
girls.
eft irritatcd 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.
Ills constant dcmcanor toward me was
violent. Several times tried To CStah-
fish The reasonable relations which
ought i'm convention. Ia exist between
brothers. II was quite hopeless, and
nv hate for this hoor came to be an
insane passion. 1t remains as II pas
sion now.
81 may not he able =. ~HtiSfy anyone
thnt this vas the inevitable couSc-
uucncc Of the treatment given me. hut
| could ir ! were to elaborate the de
tnils-or merely stat" them. However
my purpose is not 81 much tn indiCt
my brother rs tn record my own tri-
umnh-to assist the commission of n
crime which has been of intense salts
fnction tn me. crime in which | have
maintained my culpahility with JOY
md from khich Richard has suffered
and is suffering.
ole is u hro'.cn old man. He is In
n pcnitcntinry."
Here followed section of the man
uscript from which. rs I recognized.
the mage Dravada hal taken was miss
ipr Then II continued:
~ became little more asSertivc Of
INV rights and dignity, with the result
that our quarrels were more violent.
tried 10 III myself physically to meet
Richard hut he was very sturdy, and
his profigate habits had not yet I'M
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