An Extraordinary Case.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 250, 22 January 1889, Page 2

An Extraordinary Case.

The following report from the Sydney Telegraph gives fuller information of one of the cases of cruelty referred to by our Sydfley correspondent Peter and Margaret MoNee, members of the Salvation Army, were charged at the Newtown Court, with assaultlug James McNee, six years old. The female prisoner is the child's stepmother, and on bei .g arrested said that she was willing to suffer with Jesus, and that she burned the boy to got at his little oonscianoe, beeause he had stolen os Od belonging to the Salvation Army. Dr Strong stated that he hqd examined the boy, and found on his forehead marks of burns which could have been caused by a hot fork, and his back was a mass of bruises. Adolph Becka (9) deposed to seeing the male prisoner beating his son with » strap. Afterwards witness saw the boy with his hands and legs tied, and Mrs M’Nee said that she had put the four marks on his forehead, " One for lying, one for stealing, one for smoking and one for swearing." Emily Seek* stated that Mrs M’Nee told her that she had “ branded the boy as God branded Cain, and had done it with a hot fork in order to shame him.” Witness also said that the female defendant was generally kind to the boy, and kept him clean and tidy, For the defenc>', Pater MoNee stated that he had beaten tha boy, but not severely, for stealing money; that his wife suffered from fits, and sometimes was not in her right mind, end that he was ignorant of any assault committed by her. Margaret MoNee averred that th* burning was accidental. Mr Clarke, 8.M,, dismissed the oharge against ihe male prisoner, and sentenced the female prisoner to tour months' imprisonment.