A REVEREND RASCAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1137, 9 February 1884, Page 3

A REVEREND RASCAL.

At the Kilmeague, in the County of Kildare, the Rev. S- G. Cotton was. charged with committing aggravated assaults on certain inmates of the Carogt Orphanage, at Goatstown, an institution under the management of the defendant, viz., on a female named Ellen Kelly, on the 10th August ; on William Nolan, a child under fourteen years of age ; and John Ross and John Cleary, on 15th August. Mr Lord, in opening the case, said that the defendant was, with the assistance of his wife, the sole conductor and manager of an institution at Goatstown, known as the Carogh Orphanage. On a day in last month Head-constable O’Sullivan was near this place and he saw in a field a child dragging something after its leg. He called to see Mr Cotton, and they went over to the child, and found a log with a chain attached to it, the chain being fastened round the child’s leg. The child had neither stockings nor shoes on and the chain was actually rubbing against the skin. The chain was secured bv a padlock, the rev. gentleman holding the key. Mr Cotton told the constable that he would continue to do it, to prevent the child running away. Subsequently, on 15tb August, the constable saw two children, about eight years of age, chained together, fastened with a padlock, of which the defendant kept the key. These children were chained together day and night, Mr Cotton did not deny this, but gave as his excuse that he did it to keep the children from running away from the orphanage. The head constable, on looking again, found a boy with a chain and log fastened to his leg. On seeing it the girl, Ellen Kelly, said ‘ That was the log that was round my leg day and night, and 1 had to perform the household duties of the orphanage.’ There was no expression of regret on the part of Mr Cotton for conduct which he (Mr Lord) considered was unbecoming a man in his position and disgraceful to a minister of the Church. The Government had directed him (Mr Lord) to press the case, in order to see whether the practice could be put a stop to. The Rev, Mr Cotton refused to give the log to the head constable, saying he would keep it, and that it belonged to him, but that he would weigh it for O’Sullivan, He did so, and it weighed four pounds some ounces. After hearing the evidence, the chairman said that the magistrates, after carefully considering the case, were of opinion that an agoravated assault had been proved in each case, and they would fine the defendant —for the assault on William Nolan. £2 ; for the assault on John Roas, £2 ; for the assault on John Cleary, £2 ; and for the assault on Ellen Kelly, £4 — with costs in each case. Mr Toomey intimated his intention of appealing.