The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-09-11
PARENTS TO BLAME.

The newspapers have had much
to say concerning the case of Jennie
E. Cramer, whose body was found
near New Haven last month, and for
whose murder the Mslley boys, a
couple of rich, "ffast" young men, are
now being tried. The brief history
OF the case, so far as developed, is
this: A cyprian, the paramour OF
one of the Malleys, was taken from
New York to New Haven for the pur-
pose of assisting the other Malley in
running the Cramer girl. The Wiles
of the three were successful. Jennie
was Toasted and Wined and fsttered,
and passed at least one night in the
room of her destroyer. Two or three
days afterwards her dead body was
found on the beach, and investigation
showed that death was caused by az
Genical poison. The papers have in.
dulged almost exclusively in abuse of
the young villains who caused her 20
fall from virtue, and then to hide their
guilt had murdered the girl. Heaven
knows they are bad enough. Justice
can hardly be satisfied even by taking
their lives On the scafold. The ordi-
nary cut throat is not to be compared
to them in hellishness, for they
fendishIy set out to destroy their vic
TINS soal and body. But does it not
occur to some of the indignant
editors that Jennie's parents are d.
serving of some censure? They were
poor, and they taught their girl to
despise poverty. She was pretty, and
like most OF her sex who are 80
blessed, was vain, fond OF dress and
fattery. Her father and mother
fostered and encouraged her in the
display of her pretty face. They
squandered their little means in fine
clothes for the girl, and allowed her
freedom that is dangerous for any
young girl to have. While she was
made to look down upon those
of her own social station, she
was given the largest liberty
With the rich. A rich boy, no
matter what his moral character, was
ever q welcome guest at the Cramer
cottage, and Jennie was never him
dered or cautioned when one of those
desired her company for picnic or
an evening ride. While she was being
urged on to hold her head above the
poor, she was in fact conspicuous
} and tempting target for the reckless
and really disreputable young men
whose parents had money. There is
J little cause for wonder at her fall. It
. is only strange that her friends
should have expected better fate for
her.
J Every community has some Jennie
Cramers, whose parents should be
j able to learn a lesaon from the story
Of this poor girl. In this day the
snsrer OF souls is met with on all
sides. The girl who has been
properly taught at home, and
who appreciates the instruction,
, runs little risk. She is practically
safe from the pits dug for the un-
t wary, for the reason that she will not
t go near them; but the girl in whora
! the home ties are not finn, whose
vanity has been battered and encour.
: aged at home, whose wants are edu.
9 Gated beyond her position, who ia in.
: structed in the art of "setting caps''
i for those above her station, is in con.
g slant danger. It will be a miracle il
8 she escapes. Poor parents find on;
3 when it is too late that it would have
g been better to cultivate in thei,
8 daughters simple tastes, to check
their vanity and instill in their minda
! a love and respect for home-hoW.
ever humble that home may be
3 that the wiles oil the wicked cannot
overcome. II Jennie Cramer's father
and mother had brought her up as
they should have done. she would
AAve known that the Malleys could
have had no use for her except vile
one. and their approaches would
have been resented as assaults against
her honor and virtue. and their hell
ish schemes been clear as day. There
is severest condemnation for the Nal
leys of society, but parents are not
altogether blsmeless for the ruination
of their daughters.