THE BONNE TERRE REGISTER, Friday, April 2, 1909 [reprinted from Farmington News]. STORY OF WANT AND SUFFERING - Man Arrested for Cruelty to Children. Sheriff London and Deputy Schaefer arrested a man for cruelty to his children on Wolf creek, south of town, on Tuesday evening, and brought him and his family, consisting of his wife and seven small children, to town. He was placed in jail and temporary quarters secured for his family in one of the rooms in the old Braun hotel building. This family presents the most pronounced spectacle of human want and suffering we have ever seen. The father appears to be a religious fanatic. For three years he has been roving aimlessly about the country and during all this winter has been moving without a horse. Their old dilapidated spring wagon, containing an old tent, a few bed clothes and cooking utensils (their only belongings) has been drawn through the mud by himself and family. He worked in the shafts, his wife carried their year-old babe and pushed the wagon, while the other six small children, barefooted and almost destitute of other clothing, trudged in front and pulled a rope tied onto the end of the shafts. When they would come to a creek the cruel father would make the children stand in the cold water up to their waists for a half hour or hour to atone for their sins, so he said. His wife said the poor things would get so cold they would almost turn black in the face. She also said he would whip her and the children and was very cross and cruel to them. Until the man was locked up in jail the woman was afraid to say anything but, after he was put where he could not harm her, she told their awful story of want and suffering. She said her husband's name was John JONES and that she was an orphan girl, but was raised in the home of Henry LEE near Tampa, Florida. She ran away from this home about thirteen years ago to marry JONES, an act which made her foster parents very angry at her, as they were much opposed to her marrying JONES. For ten years they roved about the country, but he worked and made them a fairly good living. About three years ago, when they were living in North Carolina, she said he took a notion that he must preach. He went to the mountains and stayed forty days eating nothing except at night. After this time he called himself a priest and the brother of Jesus. She left him soon after this and went to near Columbus, Ky., where she was able to make a fairly good living for herself and children. He came to their hut one night and compelled them to pack up and go with him, since which time they have been roving over Southern Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, he reading his bible and preaching in a raving sort of way to whoever would listen to him. About Christmas their horse died, since which time they have been pulling their wagon themselves. They crossed the Mississippi River near Cape Girardeau, came through that place, Jackson and Mine La Motte. They were about a week coming from Mine La Motte to Wolf Creek. She says she finally saw that she could not last much longer, so she begged the people along the way to inform the officers of their condition. This a good woman near Independent did on Tuesday. JONES had his preliminary hearing before Justice ZOLMAN yesterday and was held for the May term of circuit court. Mrs. JONES appears to be a woman who loves her children and is willing to work to keep them together. She says it will break her heart to have to give them up and yet she knows she cannot make a living for them. They are bright looking little ones and would no doubt make useful citizens if they could be raised in good homes. They are now being cared for by the local charity association pending the arrival of a representative from the Missouri Children's Home Finding Society*, who will no doubt take most, if not all, of them to the home. Mrs. JONES says she thinks her husband has lost his mind. --Farmington News. *This mention is probably referring to "Children's Home Society of Missouri", also known as CHS", located in St. Louis, founded in 1891, whose goal is to seek to provide children, through their adoption services, with permanent, safe and loving homes. They also provide residential services to children in need pending adoption. This organization is still in operation today.