Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1869 — Horrible Case of Starvation. [ARTICLE]

Horrible Case of Starvation.

The Cedar Rapids, lowa, correspondent of the Dubuque Times, under date of August 28, gives the following account of a horrible case of abuse and starvation : We chanced to come in possession of the facts of a most terrible and unprecedented otse of starving a human being alive. The victim of this inhuman cruelty is a lad of about seven or eight years of age, and lives with his parents, in tbs suburbs of the ordinarily quiet and orderly town of Marion. It is asserted by a number of the 'neighbors that they have, at different times, within the last few weeks, visited the house of the i>oor boy for the purpose of ascertaining whether the reports which their children were continually giving were true or not. Asa pretext for these visits, they would take with them some little delicacy for the atllictcd boy, as a means of ascertaining whether the reports which their children were continually urging upon them, were correct. Blit these attempts to get a sight of the poor child were* mostly in vain, as he was kept in an old garret and secured with a chain around his neck. Imagine what his sufferings must have been in this condition during the recent hot weather. fhiftieient evidence, however, was gained in tliis way to warrant an examination into the matter by the officers of the law; and accordingly Sheriff Hay/.lette, with a number of citizens, proceeded to the house to make investigations, and to see that the parents were properly punished unless they would guarantee a more humane course of treatment to their boy in tuture. This visit was made on last Thursday, and, although the chains had been removed, the Doy was found to bo nothing but skin and bones. He confessed—as had been stated by the neighboring children—that he had been starved until be was obliged to eat flies. He was also seen to pick the rags from off his scanty garments and cat them. He had been kept in this way secreted, and, until recently, unknown to even his nearost neighbors, jjfor over six months they have kept him in this condition, and allege, as an excuse for their brutal treatment, that he was subject to fits, and that they were afraid he would get away and annoy his neighbors. But those who saw and talked with him were convinced that the cause of the fits (if the parents’ story is correct) is the consequence of the treatment he receives at their hands. His entire person showed umnlstakableevidences of cruel beating, as well as starvation, until life was almost gone. A few days or weeks of similar treatment would liave put an end to his existence, and the aim Of the parents would doubtless have been accomplished. The Sheriff ordered that the boy was to he well provided for and was to go unchained in the future. For obvious reasons, we suppress the names of the parents in this article. From twenty colleges, under.the charge of the Methodist Church, not less than four hundred sthdents are now taking their diplomas. -Between one-tenth and one-fifth of these design to enter the ministry. At least one hundred Methodists are graduating at other colleges, of whom a Uke proportion will enter the ministry.