DASTARDLY DADS FROM THE ARCHIVES (Yorkville, New York - 1893)

Last archive case for the day. This one involves abusive father EDWIN OSBALDESTON, who beat his children with a cat-o-nine-tails. I have to truly admire the courage of his 10-year-old son, who reported the father to the authorities. Note that the mother's recent illness, and apparent inability to intervene, made the abuse MUCH worse.

From the New York Times, June 6, 1893

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C01E4D61F3FEF33A25755C0A9609C94629ED7CF

SAYS HIS FATHER IS CRUEL.
A Young Boy Goes to Court and Asks for Protection --Badly Bruised and Cut.

"Please, Sir, I want to give myself up. I want protection from my father." That was what Edwin Osbaldeston Jr., ten years old, said at the Yorkville Police Court yesterday to Agent Barkley of the Gerry Society.

The boy said he was the son of Edwin Osbaldeston, a massage operator and chiropodist, of 78 West Forty-Sixth Street, and he told a sensational story of cruelty at the hands of his father. He said his father also ill-treated his little brother, Francis, four years old, and his sisters, Ethel, twelve years old; Genevieve, eight years old; Normandie, six years old, and Alberta, five years old.

His father, he said, would impose impossible tasks upon him and then flagellate him because he failed of their performance. He attended Grammar School No. 69 until three months ago, when his mother was taken ill with inflammatory rheumatism. Since then he had helped his father in putting up salves, and at the same time his father had insisted upon his continuing along with his studies. Not a day passed, he said, that he was not treated to a vigorous castigation with an instrument similar to a cat-o'-nine tails, used in massage. He often ran away to escape the punishment, and found a haven with Mrs. Vernon, an aunt, who lives at One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street and Eighth Avenue. Yesterday morning, he said, his father imposed upon him the task of doing up 160 packages of corn salve, and he was limited in the task until 2 P.M. At the same time he was sent out to find a washwoman, which took him until noon. Then, he said, his father directed his attention to the salve, a task still untouched, and reminded him that the job must be completed by 2 P.M., which was impossible.

The boy ventured a remonstrance, whereupon the father flew into a passion and used the "cat with unwonted vigor. Then it was that making his escape, the boy hastened to the Yorkville court and sought out Agency Barkley.

On hearing this tale, Mr. Barkeley examined the boy and found that his feet and hips were cut and flayed in a horrible manner. Mr. Barkley laid the case before Justice Meade, who promptly issued a summons directing the parent to appear before him to-morrow to make answer to charges of cruelty to children. The boy was committed to the custody of the Gerry Society pending a hearing.