Connecticut western news., 1881-08-24
HER FEET GO DOWN IN DEATH.
The Sad Story of the Pretty New
 Haven Girl.

The Sad Story of the Pretty New
 Haven Girl.
 Forty eight hours from the time Jen- nie Cramer walked under the Temple street elms in New Haven, (" the pretti- est girl in the city," her dotted white muslin fresh and starched, and her whole figure trim, trig and breezy from her white straw with it's brown feather to the little clinking brass plates on the heels of her boots, says the Springfield Repu6licoas, her body was lying face downward in slimy pool on the edge of New Haven harbor, the tide rocking 'aer Body back and forth and at every motion winding her 'draggled skirts tighter about her round, full figure. How she came there inquest, indict- ment and trial have yet to decide but her death has written her last week. s history at large and the path by which the young woman went to her fate is familiar enough to any one who watches the young girls who swarm on the streets of Saturday night pretty, bright and loud voiced, skating on thin ice over depths of which they have little knowl- edge and that little delusive.
 Jennie Cramer was not bad girl as girls go who have stepped over the line which keeps girl by her mothers side and limits her acquaintance by her family's, and the number of girls who do this is not large among those pretty enough to be admired and old enough to enjoy the freedom of an American girl, not hedged about by card-case, a v1siting-list and formal introductions. The man with whom Jennie was last seen, James Malley, 8 young, boyish- looking fellow with narrow, black mustache, she met one night about year ago on the college green. It was doubtless one of those chance in- troductions to be seen any evening on Main street; but it was very far from being concealed from her parents, and when Malley wrote three weeks ago ask ing Jennie to put off an out-of-town trip to drive with him, Mrs. Cramer, with every sorry" that he was so disappointed" wrote to him that Jen- nie had already gone but would be back "Thursday morning." just week be- before the Thursday morning the mother drove the daughter from the house for passing the night away from home in Malley's company.
 One week more brought Jennie to New Haven harbor. Three weeks ago the well-spelled, well-written notes which passed between her and young Malley point to formal relations, for nal for sidewalk Irritation, but Jennie had already known for week Blanche Douglass, pale, delicate-looking girl, dressed we'll, but not overdressed, whom Walter Malley had brought up from New York City. She was professional prostitute. This acquaintance begun by night on the college green, ripened by sidewalks and suppers, brought Jen- nie for the last fortnight of her life to be one of four, of whom two were men rotten to the core, third a woman fresh from house of ill-fame, and she the fourth. For two weeks there were trips and excursions, restau- rant suppers and rides, all bringing the end closer, and through it all Jennie seems to have been ignorant that he1 companion was not like herself, 8 wild girl, running needless risks. A night came at last, Wednesday, August 3, which Jennie spent away from home with her companions. She may have wandered before, but if she had not the net in which the reckless young girl was caught with the other woman of this party of four schooled to vice might well have swept a stronger nature away. Thursday morning she wal driven from her home. Thursday even ing she was again at a supper an( drank her share of four bottles of wine and then she disappeared, to be found when the tide came in Saturday morn ing. For while there was more O. less lying by the survivors; but thu arrest of the young Malleys and tn testimony of Blanche gives clews whicl connect Jennie to the last with her evi companions.
 Down to the last appalling catas trophe, this story might easily enougl be matched in any city and many 8 vii lage. Night-idleness and petty dissipa tion work their sure result. Ignoranc does much, but evil more and no ma or woman can play with the devils owl fire and come off unscorched. Ther appears to be no doubt that, in thu case, the parents permitted risk fo which they are blamable but it is to erably clear that this young girl wan ! dered along path in which she jostle the bad and vile in blank ignorance ( her company. It takes experience, cool head and clear eye to see belo , the plausible surface in which vice ( this sort cloaks itself, and she had non ; of these. No girl has of the hundred who walk nightly through dangers fc which they have neither been prepare 0 nor warned. It is too late to put up tE D bars in American life. For good or fe evil, custom has established free soci intercourse, and the paths by which
 girl passes beyond home influences al
 easy, and all alike dangerous but tf
 risk is vastly increased by ignorance }. the facts and conditions which bree @ danger and bring disaster. A health ,l home life is the soundest of all saf Q guards but, as long as village life hi t. disappeared for good and all in our pr