REMARKABLE CRUELTY CHARGES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1153, 14 June 1911, Page 8

REMARKABLE CRUELTY CHARGES.

Remarkable charges of systematic and gross cruelty to a thirteen-year-old orphan girl named Florence Pastorneld were brought at the Worcester Police Court against Mrs. Wilesmith, a woman of independent means, stated to bo a Christian Scientist and a suffragist, her son, John, and a bailiff in her service named Turner. It was -stated that the girl had been in Mrs. Wilesmith's service for vears, and that she had to,work regularly from six o'clock in tho morning till midnight. It was alleged that the child had been stripped and horse-whipped by Turner in Mrs. Wilesmith's presence. On another occasion she was made to ascend the stairs naked on hands and knees, and thrashed by Turner while she did so. Statements were made to the effect that she had been beaten and kicked innumerable times, and that salt had beenrubbed into wounds inflicted with a whip 011 the child's _ body. Tho prisoners were commiltod for trial. Further charges against the two male defendants were also investigated. This further case was in respect of a Poor Law boy, named Willis, Turner being charged with causing him grievous bodily harm, and Wilesmith with a common assault. In connection with the charge against Turner, counsel for the prosecution told the following story -—"On March 2fi," lie said, "Turner called tho boy up to the bath-room, and in the presence of Mrs. Wilesmith, Mr. John Wilesmith, and Flossie Pastorfield, he proceeded to sharpen a table-knife, and, taking hold of the boy's left hand, cut the back of his knuckles with it and scraped the wounds with the knife. He then took some lumps of salt, from the table and rubbed them into the wounds." Turner was committed for trial, but the charge against Wilesmith was not. proceeded with at the time. There have been a number of public demonstrations against the prisoners.