Former Official Accused of Child Abuse
A criminal complaint against former Secretary of State Allen Weir sparks local debate over the bounds of corporal punishment.
Complaint has been filed in the justice court against ex-Secretary of State Allen Weir, charging him with cruelly beating a 2-year-old boy. Henry Langton, who lodges the complaint, is the father of the child, and has been working for Mr. Weir, while the boy has been a member of the Weir household. A few days since, for some reason, Weir administered punishment which, it is claimed, was cruel and excessive. The father, after learning the facts, entered complaint, upon which Weir asked an immediate investigation. Mr. Weir claims that the punishment administered was nothing more than he would bestow upon a child of his own. Although the little one bears marks of the whipping, there will be no permanent injury.
“Mr. Weir claims that the punishment administered was nothing more than he would bestow upon a child of his own.”
This case reflects the era's lack of oversight regarding children in domestic service or private households. It resonates with current, ongoing societal debates about the definitions of 'discipline' versus 'abuse' and the accountability of public figures in their private lives.
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