Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-06
The MechIin Family Trouble.

the marks of the blows inflicted by her father
for two weeks. Her offence was that she LET
the fire go out and did not have the break IA st
ready, Cross examined bv Mr.. Taggart:NHe
first struck her down stairs. i'm the face. max
ing her nose bleed and discoloring her cheek.
WIN ms elenehed INST, when she went up stairs
to battle her face, and he followed her up and
struck her With the stick or chair rocker. She
showed the bruises to her sister Ella and some
remarks were made. She did not visit any of
the neighbOrs to show her bruises, nor hold
any conversation about it-not until she left
home. After they moved to S street she had
spoken to the Parkmans and Pattees.
In reply TO a question IL she had not held
conversation with newspaper reporters, the
witness was on the point OF answering, when
the court ruled it out, saying these newspaper
interviews had no connection whatever with
this hearing. Resuming, witness said she could
not use her arm Tor some time afterwards.
Aside from this she had suffered no incOnve-
nience. Witness Is 10 years old she left home
with her sisters about the first of February
last, and had remained away ever since.
Mr.. Taggart reminded the court that these
informations had been inspired by one Park
man and other meddlesOme and Officious neigh
bOrs. using these children the same as a pup
pet Snowman uses his monkeys.
THE FAFORITE DAUGHTER AS A WITNESS
For defence, Mr.. Taggart put Miss Emma
Mechlin on the witness stand, who testified
that she had no recollection whatever about
this affair, nor OF holding any conversation
showed no marks or bruises.
This case was then rested.
was charge of assault and battery on the
same daughter, on the 4th of November. Char
lOt,e again took the stand, and detailed the
assault made. by her father with a hammer
and screw driver, because she had not prop
erly prepared her sister Elias breakfast 1t
was sunday. Ella goS up late and complained
that her breakfast was cold. Her father scolded
witness, and followed it up by striking her
over the head with the screw driver and the
handle of a hammer. Her head was very much
bruised, and had bumps on it., She started to
RI n1vfn f hA nd CtlIpa foil int
doorway leading out of doors. He caught hold
of her and dragged her back into the house.
and beat and Kicked her in the face. She
raised herself and stood in the corner of the
room, when he struck her again, and she went
were present. Ella tried to prevent the beat
two or three weeks.
Cross-examined Her father had on shoes
when he kicked her. They had fried mush
for breakfast, and it was not cooked to suit
Ella. Here the hammer was produced, which
she al once Identified Wien she fell her
father called to Sophia to assist him in drag
The Court" Did You run from him because
You were afraid of him.
Yes, sir: did,
Mr.. Taggart asked if she knew what per-
Jury was, and the court ruled it out.
IOPHIA MECHIIN
testified to about the same effect. She was
present and saw it all. Witness had about
about their fathers treatment They all ar
ranged mutually to leave home together, and
did so, going to Mr. Par man's and Mr.. Pat
tees where they have since remained. Ella
and her father were very hard to please.
When her father struck Charley, she threw
down the knife. used in cooking, saying, Il
can't stand this any longer and started to
run, when she stumbled and fell They never
had chance to help themselves To what they
wanted to eat; but had to take what Ella and
alike. They were afraid to take anything
while cooking, as they knew what the cOnse-
quences would be. Sometimes they were so
hungry that they would take things to eat
without regard TO consequences.
AIMEE MECHLJN
was the next witness, and cOrrOborated what
her. In dragging Charly into the room her
father tore the waist of her dress Witness is
Il years old, and she and Sophia are twins.
For defence Miss Ella was called. She testi
fed that she was i'll that day and slept late
Her breakfast was sent up cold and burned
almost black; Her father made Charley send
up more, and this was barely warm. She told
her father, and he went down stairs to see
Charley about it. She said she was not to
blame and and otherwise was impertinent; Some
with his open hand. He had the hammer in
his hand at the time. Charley started to run.
and he called her back to reprove her for leav-
ing when he was talking to her. but she did not
obey, and he caught hold of her. She resisted
sitting down and refusing to arise, pretending
to faint Her father told her to get up, it was
not strike her nor kick her Her mother died
thirteen years ago, and her father sent them
all TO The MOravlan Seminary in Pennsylvania.
They returned home about three years ago
Aimee showed frequent symptoms OF hysterfa.
acting very queerly at times.
The court ruled out this, as AimeeS testi
mOny could not be impeached in this way
Mr. Taggart said he thought all the wit
neSSes against the father had shown animuS
and he regarded the rulings of the court as
hardShipS.
TIE HAMMER IN DOMESTIC DIscIp11NE
The court replied that he could not be i'm
pressed with the belief that hammer is a
rental discipline. The case before the court
was one OF assault and battery, and in this
hearing he could not admit these outside mat
tiers and issues; 1t was simply this: Did the
father exceed his parental authority in the
management OF his domestic affairs. He did
not propose to convict this man on outside
issues i;sI The court adjourned and the hearing
TO-DAY's TESTIMONY AS TO BEATING THE
GIRLS.
The cases We're resumed at 10 O o'clock today.
taking sketches of our Police Court.
Mr; Taggart asked that his client have the
privilege OF giving bail; he offered the name
Mr.. COyle., He desired this so that his client
might not be restricted in his defence until a
final disposition.
The Court aSSented to the proposal
MIR. Taggart asked that during the hearing
the witnesses be kept apart from their friends
The next case called was that of assault and
battery on Aimee Mechlin, who testified that
her father made an assault on her for trivial
offence on the 10th December last The first
blow felled her to the floor; she was struck on
the head, and remained for sometime uncon
SciOuS. Afterwards she had severe head
ache her nose was swollen and her head cut
and face acratched and bruised. She carried
the marks for morethan week. She was not
ny to be seen on account of marks on her face
The offence was for dropping small table
which he had asked her to hold while he oiled
the rollers. Witness had been quite unwell
that day. She remembers receiving two blows
from him. She had let the table fall twice, be-
ing too unwel to hold ii, when he struck her
with his fist. This was the same Sunday eve
ming after he chaStiSed Charlottesville 4th of
November. Her sister Ella drove her off to
bed Immediately afterwards.
~,,mle Mechlin, the Youngest one Of fhn ,
daughters. coIroborated what her sister Aimee
had sworn to- and described the manner Of
the assault, growing out of her lettin" me
table Slip and fall while he was bling the
rollers. He knocked Ter down, and i'm falling
her head struck against the window breaking
it. He then kicked her in the head and threat
ened to strike her with hammer. He told
her to get up, and Aimee replied that she
would if he would let her She then went up
stairs. the blood from her nose dripping all
way up stairs.
The hearing was in progress when our re-
port closed.