Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

27 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

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-----.-.-----BURRY PORT AND…

" -l ull i" i LLANGENNECH.I…

PONTABDAWK

[No title]

FOUNDER OF GORSEINON'S PROSPERITY.

THE BUDGET. MM—

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LLANDILO CRUELTY CASE.|

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

LLANDILO CRUELTY CASE. HEARING AT THE CARMARTHEN QUARTER SESSIONS. EXTRAORDINARY ALLEGATIONS. At the Carmarthenshire Quarter Sessions on Friday—before the vice-Chairman (Mr. Athur Lewis, who presided, and a large num- ber of other justices—a large crowd eagerly watched the trial of William Howells, farmer, Craigrodin, and his wife, Jane, against whom various charges had been preferred at the instigation of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The holding on which the alleged offences took place lies at the side of the Black Mountain, on the opposite side of the Cennen Valley to Carregcennen Castle, the girl Hannah Mor- gan being the subject of ill-treatment between the months of July and January last, "con- trary to the Act of 1894 for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children." Mr. Bertram and Mr. Bowen Davies (in- structed by Mr. T. G. Williams, Llandilo), were for the prosecution, and Mr. Denman Benson and Mr. J. Lloyd Morgan. M.P. Oinstructed by Mr. W. Howell, Llanelly). for the defence. M.r Benson's objection to the indictment from which the word "unlawful" had been omitted, was over-ruled by the Chairman. and the defendants surrendered to their bail and pleaded "Not guilty." Mr. Bertram, in opening for the prosecut- ing society, stated that the defendants were indicted for assaulting, neglecting, and ill- treating Hannah Morgan, age fourteen to fif- teen years—that is, under sixteen, according to the statue in question—in a manner likely to cause her unnecessary suffering. The defendants farmed near Llandilo, and the child was motherless, her father, Thomas Morgan, who had since committed suicide, having earned 3s. a day as a labourer. When he took his child to the defendants, Mrs. Howells said she would be a mother to her, and fixsd her wage at about 9s. a month, undertaking to provide her with clothes. The child lived with the defendants for some time without anything particular happening, but she would depose that from the first they treated her unkindly, frequently beating and shaking her, but, although her father called at the farm on three occasions, she could not say anything to him about the punishment. These visits occurred between June and Nov- ember. Not only did the defendants ill-treat the child, but, according to Griff. Williams, a farm servant, they did not seem to have looked after her in the way of providing proper clothing, and eventually her apparel was not fit for any child. When her serious condition was brought to the notice of the police the female promised to see to the girl, and more clothes were about to be bought. Nevertheless, the defendants still went on ill-treating the girl-beating her with their hands and sticks. The child could con- firm this fact. and say that the defendants also got farm servants to beat and knock her about. Evan Davies, a boy aged sixteen, knocked her about by defendants' orders. Marv Jane Richards, another farm servant, would say, also. that she and the male defen- dant beat the child's legs with thorns and ferns. This appeared to have gone on time after time] and to have got particularly bad about the end of last year. Charges of dirty habits were brought against the child. She was accused of fouling the well and parts of the house. According to the story of one of the defendants, she admitted having done it. Whatever the reason might have been, the cruelty of the defendants at this time seemed to have got worse than ever. At the end of January, a plasterer who was working in the house observed that the child was wearing clothes whiich were unfit for anyone. They were, in fact, in tatters. She wore men's boots, her stockings would scarcely hold together, and her legs and arms were bare. He noticed that her eyes were black, that she was weeping, and that she was alto- gether miserable. Owing to his report, a police-inspector visited the farm on the fol- lowing day and took the child to the work- house. where she was examined by a doctor. Grtff. Williams, the farm servant r«»f«»i-red to, who left in November, would speak as to the acts of cruelty which he witnessed, as would also the boy, Evan Evans, who took his place, and was ordered by the farmer to beat this little girl. Just before the police- inspector paid his visit one of the plasterers heard Mrs. Howells say to the child, "When these men are gone you'll catch it," or words to that effect; and it was the tone of voice which made the workmen report the affair. The lad, Evan Davies, was ordered to assault the child a day after this. but he was so sorry for her condition, and he felt that he had done wrong by acting on the orders of his master, that he left the farm and sacili- ficed his wages rather than do what he had been told. When examined by the inspector and faced bv the defendant in his presence, the child admitted having received the ill- treatment described at their hands.. wherej upon the male defendant said, 'Don't tell your lies here. You got this by falling down." To this, she replied, "Oh, master, you know that is not so. You knocked me down and kicked me, and you and the mistress and the farm servants are always doing it." At first she was afraid of making the accusation in the presence of her master and mistress. On being examined at the workhouse the medical man saw the ohfild with two black eyes. bruised blows on her knees, bruises on her left temple, and. all over her body. In one or two places there were festering sores on her legs and knees, and the skin was broken in several parts. All over her legs were marks which might well have been caused by thorns and ferns. She had been bruised and 'beaten all over, and the doctor would say that she had been subiected to i very severe violence to present such a state of things. So illJnsed had she been that he said it was impossible to look at her without feelings of pity. H those things were proved, then the jury would have no difficulty in saying that the defendants were guilty of the charge against them. From what could be gathered there were two forms of defence. It had been said that the child confessed to the dirty habits. ThliR might or might not be true. There were other children about the farm, and they might have been the guilty children. The child was so bullied and wor- ried that she could be made to confess any- thing. If they could prove that she was guilty of such things, then the only right thing was a dismissal or a complaint to her parent. They did not do this, but actually re-engaged her in November, the month when servants gave up one employment for an- other. It was said that she made charges against Mrs. Howell's character, and that of farm servants. The utterance of these charges was denied by the child, but even if she had made them. there was no justification for the treatment to which she had been subjected. It was also put forward that defendants were not guilty of the acts attributed to them, that the marks on her legs were got when walking in the fields, the marks on. her face and body being got when falling about the farmyard. It was said that there was a de- formity about her feet, which made her fall. Those feet could be examined, and medical evidence would be submitted on that point. Although there might be something slightly wrong with them, it would not cause such inconvenience as to gring about the bruises and sores which were discovered all about her body. It was stated that the father of the girl had recently died. but his depositions were put in and proved. Hannah Morgan, a precocious little girl, of fourteen years, who is now staying at Llandilo Workhouse, gave evidence in cup- port of the opening statement. Some of the evidence was of a revotlting nature. The child said she had bc^n compelled to wear her master's boots when her own were worn °bt. She wa3 beaten daily, and slept in the cart-house. Prisoners told her not to tell anyone, or they would! kill her. Mr. Bertram requested the witness Hannah Morgan to show her feet to the jury, owing to the allegation of the defendants that she was liable to frequent falls because of her deformed feet. Shei thereupon removed her boots and walked over the solicitors* table in full Tieir of the jury. Dr. W. B. IJoyd (Ll&ndilo) said he safw Hannah Morgan at the Workhouse on Jan- uary 6th in a most pitiable condition. She had a contused wound across the bridge of her nose, two black eyes, a contused wound' on the hairline of the forehead, and a bruise on the left temple. On tae left and right sides of her body arid on shoulder there wel"1" bruises. On the left leg was a festering' wound near the knee-tcap,, and another of a similar character near the foot. There were wounds on the left arm. Below the knees the skin was distinctly punctured, and this must have been caused by thorns or pins. The legs were the colour of beetroot below the knee owing to the punctures. Cross-examined by Mr. Benson She was well nourished. Re-examined: Her condition was such that she had to be under medical treatment for a month. He did not think the punctures below the knees were due to running through gorse, because he could not imagine anyone who had not local anaesthesia subjecting her- self voluntarily to such injuries. Dr. W. Davies (Llandilo) and several other witnesses were also called for the prosecution. For the defence, Dr. Hopkins, Carregcen- nen, deposed to being called in to examine the girl Morgan, and found that she had a tendency to club-feet. Her condition ren- dered her m6re likely to fall than otherwise. Witness had known the male defendant for years, and had never heard anything against his character. The female defendant was a delicate, quiet woman. Other witnesses were called with the object of showing that the girl had not been ill- treated. The case, which excited great interest in the district, had not concluded when the court rose. A large crowd awaited the appearance of the parties outside the court. The case was concluded on Saturday, when William Howell and his wife were both found guilty. The chairman commented severely upon the conduct of the defendants, who had allowed a partially attired child to get into a most pitiable condition, and sentenced Howell to two months' imprisonment with hard labour, and his wife to one month with hard labour.

-----'-------THE HIGHLAND…

- MAZAWATTEE COCOA. ¡

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DEATH OF DR. DE WITT TALMAGE.

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- LORD WOLSELEY AS A COLONIAL…

,NEED BE NO APPREHENSION.

[No title]

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- TALKS ABOUT A TRIP. -

,-RHODES TOMB.

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)——— :THE STATUS OF THE BRITISH…

IUNION LINER ON THE ROCKS.…

THE ROYAL JUBILEE METAL EXCHANGE…

THE LATE DR. RICHARD HUGHES.

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