National Republican., 1878-04-09
MEcHLIN'S DAUGHTERS.
Aimee Tells Her Story IN the Police
Court.

Imprisoned Three Days for Running Away
Tied Down for Fourteen Hours-Ths Two
Last Case. Against the Defendant Nolle
Pros'J
The trial of. r. r. Mcchlin again occupied q
portion Of the day in the Police Court yesterday,
before Judge Smell. The court room was crowded
at an early hour with persons anxious to catch q
sight Of the accused and the prosecuting witnesses.
The prisoner had prohtcd by his return home, and
looked very fresh being neatly attred and cleanly
shayen. A crowd OF young and breiiess barrlsters
In the vicinity of the reporters table monopolized
all the available space, aud made notetaking very
arduous
Before starting with the trial Of the fhh charge
the prosecuting attorney stated that this would be
the last he should call, and asked leave IN on.
ter nolie pros IN the other two which was granted
by the court The fth and last case against the
accused was then called. He was charged with
making an nssnllt on Aimee .. Mcchlin on the 18Th
Mis-, Aimee testified ths, on the evening of the
10th she male up her mind - break away nom the
life she had been leading and ran away from home
She went To the house Of Ms AdamS, In rhiladel.
phia Row, and rcmsincd Mt Mrs. Ad ans for about
ihree.quarters OF an hour, when her sister Ella
camt to the house aud asked her TO come back
touch her. When she arrived home her father took
her up stairs aud
TIED HER TO BOX
with a rope Her hands were tied behind her. Tho
luE box. She had enough room to .t or lie down.
This all occurred on saturday night about one
O'Clock. sunday morning her father procured
some boards and nailed them across the window.
She was kept Tel until about three o'clock sunday
afternoon. A mattress was placed upon the floor
for her lie upon Her sister Charlotte fed her rs
she was unable to loosen her hands. She WIS kept
a prisoner IN the room until Tuesday afternoon;
The marks Of the rope could be plainly il,ccrncd
upon her wrists four days amer she wa, united.
On CrCS.cNamination. witness statod that when
she len home she wanted to make her way In the
world. Before she Wa, taken up to the room, after
her return home, her father snd sister ETA held
her Her sisters told her the neNtmorning that her
father said he had tied her up To prevent her jump
ing 9qt OF the window. Her father did not beat or
There was no bca.clothing In the room. she slept
on the bare mattress The reason she len home
was bcranss she could no: go N church and have
decent clothes To- wear. At the tine Of thu tying
there was no FIRE In the room In which she was
confined. Dlh not suffer nom cold that night as
the weather wEs rather mild
Miss Charlotte Mcchlin wa, then called. and
stated that the avening OF the 10Th Of December
her father aud Ella came in with Aimee. Her
father called for rope and witness got the clothes
line and gave 1t to him. Her father then tied
Amec's iandS behind her and secured her tn the
box AUuut half an hour anerwatd witness car
rci her sisters dinner up tn her. The next day
sunday about three o'clock her fnther went ~
into the rDDui and ater mailing six bars across the
which her sister tied Il was impossible for hei
to stand up. Her sister slept mattress, the only
| covering being blanket. She made complain,
the second night that she was in the room that sht
| had not enough bed-clothing, and moro was fur
n!shed her.
THE REASON HER SISTER WAS PUNISHED
was that her father afraid that she would leave
| home again. She was not at all dangerous or In
| sane.
| CrosseIamlned by Mr.. Taggart-Her father pu
cloth on her wrists TO prevent the rope from cut
| ting her. Her father looked around the neighbor
hood for her sister aud when he could not ind he
he said that she could go where she wanted 10. NJ
physician had ever been called to attend Aimee 70
any mental trouble The weather was cold whei
her father tied her sister up.
Mis- Sophie Mechln was the next witness called
Her testimony was that she did not her sists
night Saw her the next morning. Sunday. whel
she was tied up stairs. The next day. Monday
witness saw her sistor when she was united. sh
was still kept prisoner in the room.
On cross examination witness said In answer to
question by defendants counsel that the childrel
did not approve OF the manner In which their si'
tor was punished In 4 conversation ut Rlne
with their father they stated, through fear OF hin
that they approved Of the course he pursued tc
wsrd their sister Aimee Monday Wines ,nm W.
stairs during tho absence Of her father and siste
Ella from the house. and she persuaded her to Z
back into ths room aud remain until Ella n
turned.
| she was not allowed TO 90 down stairs while 81
l
| father and Ella were out she came down with h,
sisters, but they persuaded her 10 60 back befol
her father returned ~ they feared they might |
E punished also II they allowed her TO stay wit
thGm.
Il THE DEFENsE
called Miss Ella Mechln, who testified that Ami,
wa, missed one evening and after visiting her s
ter Willie at the wOnien's Christian AssociatiO
. rooms discovered that the missing sister could
found At Ms. Adams. over in Philadelphia ROY
| After talking with her sister sometime the lRttI
finally concluded to 20 home. Just before the
reached home they met her father. Witness tO
him that something had better DO done to preyc
q repititlon Of the ofiensc. The witness fully CO
robOratCd the tying process but said that her faith
told heI he did not intend u keep her tied, bI
{ merely 10 scare her TO prevent her running ava
> Aimss relea.ed on sunday. but kept In u
. room. on Monday morning before her father We
/ W the Office he told her TO let Aimou come dow
stairs Witness stated that her sister was not RI &
in her mind Had often noticed q vacant stare
o her eye. At the time Of the punishment her siste
Charlotte and sophie said that II served her rigt
!. Aftor examining this witness the g0yernule
concluded their case. and As the defense required
I little more timo, a further hearing was postpon
q until tomorrow at hulf.past twelve o'clock.