A Shocking Story.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 162, 24 July 1886, Page 8

A Shocking Story.

A horrible and, it is to be hoped, unique case of barbarious ill-treatment of a child has just been brought to light in Paris, The victim is the little son of a commercial traveller living in the Hue Boulle, near the Boulevard Richard Lenoir. For the . past two years the boy, who is now ten, has been kept in a dark' closet, scantily clothed and fed on small rations of bread and salt, even his supply of water being limited. He was frequently beaten by his unnatural mother, who threatened to kill him outright, and he did npt even know in what counfpy, street, or house he was living. The .poor child, who had been previously pub oujb to nurse in the country, had, been brought ;to the house at the risk of his life in a box, and the neighbours were actually in complete ignorance of his existence. A few days age the boy was handed over to a woman, who took him to the hospital,, arid his terrible condition at once showed , the surgeons to what inhuman treatment he had been subjected, The police were communicated with, and after much trembling hesitation the little vkstim, who had learnt from tbe woman where his parents lived, gave them the address.. Even then 'the Eolice had some difficuicy^.in finding, the ouse, as the concierge innocently declared that, his J familyj only ; consisted of the father, mother, and a little girl, of twelve. Questioned by;a police, the mother at^first stated that the boy was not her son, but at last was compelled to admit the; fact, as also, that she had often broken sticks in beating htm. His sister spoke of the poor child with the utmost cynicism.: She had begun by saying that she, had no brother, and it appears that she 'had assured her aunt that he [,sm boarpliiig;bufc.: vAs for the father, he wa| of jtien absent from home, and left hi<3^-wife to^^db^Katrshepi^asedl with the little martyr. ; Ttos ; "chilcl ;is in' a :deplorabie cbndiUbri. VAlthpugh'^^ dbe^ not lbbkfmq^i^hatf^ix.';V:^lß>Body is frightfully ,; emaciated covered 'with bruises, aHd 'until rheSwentitojtne Hospital,' he tad riot la|nin : ')bed ; v lQrj|wo:'y.e'ard. : VHe has i>b hair • vl^^a^U^ljftt^njoffihisv lhea4 :^by^l»iß^m^hOT^ai^ 'I^o^w^Bo^^lß^Hy(^%MM ffchetinp $ignfttWaroul^« disclosures that tbe-.wife of the commercial ig*rofiEl)|ap>f §bl^pitß^??wmUi'ineviti

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