SHOCKING TREATMENT OF A CHILD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2197, 12 August 1889, Page 2

SHOCKING TREATMENT OF A CHILD.

Ohrhtohurch, August 10.

A man named George Abbot, residing at St. Albans, etanda aoousad or tbe moat outrageous oraeliy to a child, that has ever been heard Id this hemisphere. The ohlld la eald by the police to be a ward of Abbott, and has been la his charge mnro than twolvo months. Daring this time tbe ohlld hag been systematically starved, ill-treated, and punished with the most brutal severity, Aa she appeared f<t the polloa station lust night she pro sen'ed a moat pitiable sight. Though she ia said to be only thirteen years of age, her faoo wan praternaturally old ani wrinkled. Her body was marked m several plaoea with Bip>nß of violent treatment rooelved. Patches on her head were bare where handfu'a of hair had apparently been torn out, Indicating still more abominable handling* A gentleman who had wandered far and wide through East oiid slums, saw the child and eald that ho bad never set eyes on a worse case In London. The matter is m the hands of the polloo, Aogosl 11 Qoorge and Alexandria Frances Abbot! were aneated 1 at night, oa a ohargo of wlifally falling to provide Esther Pondrlcb, an orphan girl adopted by them, fourteen years of age, with necessary food, thereby endangering her life. The evldenoe collected against them is moat revolting, aod shows a lengthened oourie of Btarvtng and brutality B»ll was refused. Tho girl la In a very weak stats, and not oat of dwger. Ohristohuboh, Aagnit 12. The Magistrate's Court was crowded fo oxcenfl to-day and surrounded by hundreds of people vi hen the charges of cruelty to a child named Esther Poudloh were brought against the Abboltej < Doctor Byrnes stated the child was unable to attend Oourt and gave dotoils p.s to her condition saying she was improving and might attend next week. The poilgo obtained a remand till next Monday, In reply to the Bauoh Abbott said that Me Garrlek promised to appear for him Mr Gsrrlck was not present, however. Ball fl»3 fixed In two sureties each of £150 for each prisoner, of £600 In all; On leaving tbe Oourt the pdeouera were surf unded by hundreds of spectators who hooted them as far as tbe police defcSfc, a dlitftnoe of neirly hajf * mlle,^j|g^