PROVINCIAL NEWS

Kumara Times, Issue 2665, 23 March 1885, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS

[united press association.l Christchurch, March 22. W. H. Trebblecock, a lad of 17, was drowned yesterday evening while bathing at Sumner. He was unable to swim and was carried away by the tide. A man named W. Hiscoke made a gallant attempt to rescue him, and succeeded in getting him out, but life was extinct. Wanganui, March 21. At the inquest to-day ou John Higgle, the verdict was that he died from alcoholic poisoning. A boy ten years of age, named John Tell well, fell down Shakespeare's cliff and broke his leg. Jle received other injuries as well. Auckland, March 21. The Auckland Volunteers have decided to give the returning Rifles and Carbine champions an enthusiastic reception. A general parade is ordered for Monday. Oswald rlertzog, formerly cabinetmaker, of this city, whose shop was burned down a month ago, was arrested last night at Napier on a charge of defrauding the National Insurance Company. He was insured for £250, and compromised for £l5O, and the company have now reason to believe trmt the stock was not worth more than £6O or £7O. BRUTAL TREATMENT OP CHILDREN BY PARENTS. Dunedin, March 21. To-night's Star gives the following particulars of a gross case of cruelty to children on the part of a father and stepmother, which has caused amongst the neighbours at Kensington an excitement almost equal to that of the Wain case:—"The father is an expressman named Alexander Fleming, and his first wife died in June last. In November he married Caroline Condon, and entrusted to her care the children by his first marriage. John, aged eleven; Mary, nine; and Isabella, five. Receutly the immediate neighbors of Mr and Mrs Fleming entertained suspicions that the children received more whppings thau they deserved, but it was not until the last few days back that they were made cognizant of the nature of the beatings. Facts have now come out which leave it a matter beyond all doubt that the children have been subjected to brutal usage, and that with little or no provocation. A Mrs Greatrex seems to have put the police on the alert in regard to the case, and Sergeant M'Donnell, from information which he received from her last night, proceeded with Constable Walton to Fleming's house. The former at once took it upon himself to make an examination of the children, and he found marks of such severe whippings that he took charge of them and had them examined by Dr. Fergusson. This medical gentleman afterwards gave the following certificate :—"I hereby certify that at the request of Sergeant M'Donnell, of Sonth Danedin, I have this evening examined John, Mary, and Isabella Fleming, the children of Alexander Fleming, residing in Kensington. Their bodies present indications of their having been cruelly beaten, being covered with red angry streaks or lines from the head to the feet, and there are marks of bruises of old standing in different parts of the bodies. This morning we were :ifforded an opportunity of seeing the children, j and were horrified by a aight of the j marks, which W uW ouly be the kwuU J

r.f whipping equal to the lashes prescribed for hardened criminals. From head to foot the unfortunate children were covered with excoriations, and in many of the cuts there were signs of blood. Not a portion of the bodies with the exception of the faces had escaped stripes, which must have caused intense agony. The children were bright, intelligent, and good-look-ing, and from their demeanor we should judge that they would take their place amongst the best behaved in any community. The boy informed ns that his injuries were cansed by the beatings of his father and mother, the latter having beaten him last evening, and the former a few days ago. 'The girl Mary told a similar story, but the younger one would not state how she received the fearful cats and bruisps all over her. Mrs Wall, who has lived next door to the Flemings for the last six weeks, has heard the children beaten almost daily, and Mrs Lamb, the previous tenant, saw the boy beaten several times by Mrs Fleming, who had also threatened more than once to murder the children. They have been attending the Kensington Public School and get an excellent character for obedience and respectfnlness from the head teacher, Mr Moore. Fleming and his wife were brought up at the Police Court to-day on one of several informations which have been laid against them. They were defended by Mr M'Gregor. Dr. Fergusson in his evidence said he had been told the lashings were given with a cart whip; the children had received a cruel beating. He had never seen children so tortured before, and hoped he never would again. The charge was remanded till next Wednesday, and the children at the request of the police, and with the consent of the parents, were given into the custody of their aunt.