The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-08-20
POOH JENNIE CRANER.

keeper named Edward Malley, a widower
whose store, besides himself, was attended BY
his son, Walter Mslley, aged "a, and a nephew
james Malley, jr, aged 90, porter, &c, thu
father and "boys" living in one of the mos
stately mansions in the city, presided over on
the female side, by hired "housckeeper.'
The old gentleman took refuge from the hea,
OF the city in trip to the seashore or noun
tains, leaving the boys IN possession of store
and mansion.
Now there dwet also in said city one Jennie
Cramer, the daughter OF an humble cigar and
tobacco dealer, but Of such uncommon come
illness that she was regarded as the most beau
tiiul girl in the city, being withal moderately
well educated and of sprIghtly, winning man.
ners. With this young lady James Malley
had become desperately enamored, his evident
purpose, however, being not to win her as his
wife, but to debauch her. Jennie fought shy
of him for some time, but when the elder Nal.
ley had lett the city and the boys were IN pos.
session of store and mansion, they seem to
have united in hellish purpose at all hazards
to victimize poor Jennie to James's lust To
this end Walter Maley sent to New York for
q noted courlesan, with whom he had had a
previous acquaintance, named Blanche Doug
lass, alias Clements, who at his behest came to
New Haven and took rooms at a leading hotel
as lady fleeing for few days from the bust.
ness cares of the metropolis to the country for
rest. The Malley boys succeeded IN getting
up an intimacy between Jennie Cramer aud
this woman. For several days, in company
with the boys, the "adies" had some pleasant
rides, and visited restaurants, places Of amuse.
ment, &c. On Wednesday evening, Aug 3,
the boys meantime having dismissed the house.
keeper, took possession with their lady com
panions of the Malley mansion, and evidently
had "a high old time" They had an expen-
sivc supper, with wines, cigarettes, songs, &c.
AT midnight they retred-Walter and Blanche
Douglas TO one room and James and Jennie
Cramer to another and thus passed the night.
At o'block the next morning the ''ladies"
left the house by back way, gong to Jennes
home, to which Blanche accompanied her to
Shpiulh VIC SuuSC vi OCHulC duSCICC OftI
night, saying she had passed the nigh, at the
hotel, &c. Jennie's mother, however, was not
satisfied. talked sharply to her, threatened to
tell her father, and treated Miss Douglass with
marked dstrust and hostility. Miss Douglass,
after this scene, went to her hotel, and Jennie
soon afterwards went out, and no one is posi-.
tive of having seen her that day, though she
is supposed to have taken refuge with her
"friend" at the hotel The Malleys appeared
at the store that day as usual, and declare that
neither of them ever saw Jennie Cramer alive
after she left the Malley mansion that morn.
ing.
II has been very clearly established, howev
er, by evidence before the coroner and other.
wise, that the Malley boys and Blanche and
Jennie were together again on Thursday even
ing and took supper at late hour at the South
End House, having several rich courses, with
four bottles of claret, all Of which they drank
Jennie being almost forced to drink with the
rest, all leaving the house more or less intoxi.
Gated. Here, however, all account of their
further companionship ceases. On Saturday
Blanche Douglass suddenly returned to New
York. nothing having been seen of Jennie on
Friday, the Malley boys appearing at the store
as usual. The parents of Jennie became I'M
easy, but could get no account of her Early
on Saturday morning an old fisherman named
Asa Curtis found the body of jennie at the
waters edge at West Haven beach, some six or
seven miles from the city-dead. There was
a strong smell of drugs about the body, as of
chloroform or ether but no water on the chest |
10 Indicate that she had been drowned.
How did Jennie get there, IS the conundrum
over which New Haven has been perspiring
ever since. 1t IS no, believed that the Malley |
boys killed her, nor is The theory Of suicide
accepted. There are some very dim leadlngs
Of evidence that point IN this direction; that
after the debauch at the South End House on |
Thursday evening the party retained to the
Malley mansion and again passed the night
that next day Jennie was sick and remained
in the house. In the evening there Is some
evidence that the four were again together on
he beach, but, If so, must have got home eai
y, aud Jennie became scker. To relieve her
pain such strong opiates and chloroform were
that she died, and the boys to
i'd themselves of the body and the scandal
which its finding in the Malley mansion would
nave occasioned, had 1t car,ed to West Haven
lock and dumped into the water, near which
t was found by the old fisherman in the morn
ng At all events, the Malley boys have been
arrested for the murder and Blanche Doug glass.
who 1t is believed can tell the whole story if
he can be induced TO do So has been taken
rom New York TO New Haven, to be held
here as a Witness.
When, fifty years ago, Gen. Jackson won the