Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1876 — “Squeers.” [ARTICLE]

“Squeers.”

The British Squeers has been heard from again. He goes by the name of Starbridge, and has just been sentenced at the Devonshire Assizes to five years’ msilwL* «sj|L infikting. bacha,twis.ky severe punishment on a lad in his charge. It appears that the boy, eleven years of age, had been “ behind in his sums,” and was ordered by the master to hold out his hand to be cut at with the stick. The offender declined to * offer his palm to the stinging stroke, Whereupon, flying into ungovernable rage, the master struck him across the head with the green willow stick, which was the usual instrument of magisterial torture in the seminary in question. 8o savagely was the punishment inflicted that the staff broke upon the victim’s skull, and the unfortunate child actually lost his eyesight in consequence- The schoolmaster absconded when he heard what had been the result of his violence; but he was captured shortly afterward and put upon his trial. In passing sentence tbe Judge said the case gave him a great deal of pain. The prisoner occupied a position of the highest trust and greatest importance that any man could hold in any civilized community, a position demanding the exercise of the greatest discretion; but here, With but little if anyprovocation, (he prisoner attacked the boy with savage ferocity, and had maimed him for life. He could find no circumstancos-ot palliation in the case. A knife is being made at the Beaver Falls (Pa.) Cutlery Company for the Centennial. Tt -will be nine leet long, and upon it will be a picture of William Penn. Nothjno will dry a woman's eyes and check her sobs quicker, at a funeral, than the detection of a new style of flounce on a neighboring mourner's dress.