CRUELTY TO A CHILD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4188, 10 August 1892, Page 3

CRUELTY TO A CHILD.

1 MrandMrs Goodgame Before

the Gourt.

A Terrible Gase.

In the Masterton R.M. Court this (Wednesday) morning, before Messrs A. W.Benall and J, Butement, J.'sP., Elizabeth Goodgume was ehargeu with unlawfully ussaulting and beating her daughter, Maud Goodgame. Mr Skipper appeared for the accused and pleaded not guilty, Sergeant M'Ardle asked leave to smend the information so that it would read "did assault, beat, and illtreat,"

The Bench admitted the amendment,

Thomas Goodgame was then charged with a similar offence, and also pleaded not guilty. Sergeant M'Aidle said this was a most revolting case, Tho evidence would go to show that the child had been shamefully and cruelly treated. Dr Honking deposed that he had examined the girl and found hor in a filthy condition. She was bruised from head to foot, Her head was cut and full of vermin, her hands bruised and sore, and her legs as hard as wood,

Tho wardrobe of the child was then produced and created quite a sensation^

Henry Eagle deposed to having seen the girl louten unmercifully with a supple-jack aud struck between the shoulders by her mother, Maud Thompson, the victim, was here exhibited to the Court, and in evidence slated: 1 reside with my mother and stepfather at Mauriceville, On Friday morning my mother emptied over my head the contents of a chamber, Suoonce before took an old tin and poured a portion of the contents of a similar vessel into my mouth, (Sensation in Court). I was once upon the hill and came back late. My mother was angry and she struck mo on Ibo head with a stick, She knocked me against the wall and hurt my nose, On Friday morning I got some flour, went down to the creek and mixed it with water. I bad no soda or acid and my pancake stuck to the pan, This was the whole of my breakfast, (Bonwion). I got a bar of soap on the table and cut it. As I did not cut it straight my mother struck me on the arm with a stick, I was cutting some wood for mother one day and because it was raining and I was away alittlo late she struck me and knocked me down the hill, I havo had to sleep on the floor, sometimes with a bag over me, and- sometimes with nothing, (bensation in Court), On one occasion mother kept striking me on the he»d with a spoon when I had done nothing. I had to go down to tho creek one frosty morning without any clothes and bring up water to bath myself outside. [The child here burst into tears and exclaimed " lam sorry to say it,"] I had only one other dress provided. I had other underolothes but I was afraid to go in and get them, (ThegirPsarmSjiillbruisedandscarred, were here shown to tho Court, the thumb also being much swollen) I can't help telling, but it was caused by my mother kicking me, Tho poker was a rou nd pieco of iron, My mother struck me across the bips with it, and I could hardly move afterwards. I was made to wheel wood from a big hill, my hands being so sore that I had to rest the handles On my arms, I think my mother has been illusing mu in this way for about three weeks. I could not stand it any longer. \Vhon I met Mr Eagle's sons out with their guns, one pf them said '! rjhall Ido jt," and I replied "For pity's sake do." I meant them to shpot me. My father struck me on tho head with a'pieco of wood, making my hond bleed, one morning when tho fire would not burn. My father thrashed me on other occasions. My mother also struck me with a poker and raised the lump on my baok, The lumps and bruises on my abdomen were caused by my mother kioking me. I did not tell the neighbours about the ill usage I. received I because I did not sco how I could get away lrom my mother, and I might have pjot more, ■ For the pist twelve months I have got up and lit the fire. A few times my father lit it, ; ■ Crying bitterly the gill hero said, "Although'ray'mother and' fatter have punished 1 me seyetqly'l dp 'jjol wish to see them punished, only I do not want to go baok to thera,"

By Mr Shipper: My rnqthei" always a reason for punishing me, I was threatened several times, I can'notejoctly tell what it was I did not do, I was not punished for nothing. Things she told me to do I forgot, This happened time after timncookco my own weals outside on two occasions, My bed and blankets were lolled up and, put away, my mother telling nie that I could not get them again until I had " knocked it 06," (meaning an unfortunate weakness.) My father was generally pretty kind. My mother was only unkind to me when I did not do what slip told me." To Sergeant M'Ardie; I onjy did not do w!i»' my mother tpld roe when I bad not time. When I got beatings for not doing things \ had been at other work. My mother used to say she " wished I was \\ a very bad place." I have been laying on the: bare boards with only a bag over me and somotiiues not that, for about thnse weeks, I do not wish iny parents punis>cl,but 1 do not wish to go b(tck with them. The case at thij'sfagq was adjourned until %,\i