INHUMAN CONDUCT OF A MOTHER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5384, 29 June 1878, Page 3

INHUMAN CONDUCT OF A MOTHER.

A woman named Mary Horsey was charged recently at the Port Augusta Police Court, South Australia, on tho information of T. W. J. Horsey with ill-treating her daughter—-a girl 10 years of age—by chaining her to the bedpost. The particulars published in the Fort Augusta Dispatch show that the defendant must have been guilty of very inhuman conduct. The evidence of the little girl herself, who is spoken of as a child of more than ordinary intelligence, was as follows “ I was first chained up at dinner-time on Monday, May 27, and was not released until one o’clock on May 28, when the policeman came with my father and unchained me. I was chained up all night, and was not in bed on Monday or Tuesday night. Had on a calico chemise and a flannel one under it. Had no other clothes on during the whole of the time, nor any covering all night. Had a slice of cake given to me, .but mother took it away, and would not let mo eat it ; but I had a piece of bread and butter which Mrs. 'Veal gave me. The reason I was punished was because mother said I had taken Is. 9d. from under her head. I did not take the money, but I owned to having taken it in order to save myself. I told a lie to escape punishment. There was nothing else I was punished for. I was chained up but once before, and that was about a week ago. I was chained up for twenty-five hours. It was for staying away from home all day. I did not stop away because my mother beat me; it was because I wanted to play.” Police-constable Hill, who went to the house with Mr. Horsey, gave the following additional particulars;— “ Found the child fastened to the bedpost with the chain produced in Court. The chain was tight round the waist of the child, and fastened with a padlock in such a manner that he could not get his fingers between the chain and the child’s body without hurting her. She appeared only to have a chemise on her, and was shivering all over. Her hands were trembling, and she was pale and ghastly in the face from the manner in which she was fastened. She could neither sit nor lie down. Mrs. Horsey, when asked to undo the chain, refused, and threatened to knock his brains out. Assisted to hold Mrs. Horsey while her husband took the key from her, and then unlocked the chain and released the child. There was no fire in the room, and the window was open, with a cold wind blowing, and the little girl’s head was close to the window. Asked her mother to give him her clothes, but she refused, so he had to wrap her in a blanket and bring her to the station.” The prisoner, who was committed for trial at the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court, said she had always treated the child well. She had reared the child, without assistance from the father, since she was three months old, at which time her husband deserted her. With a little assistance she had brought np her four children carefully and respectably, and given them a good education ; and now that they could do for themselves her husband took a great interest in them.