Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-24

Jennie Cramer was young lady Of twent,
years, the daughter Of a cigar maker in New
Haven, Conn, and of great personal beauty
Saturday morning August 9th, her lifeles'
body was found In the water near the beach
in West Haven. The nature of the associa
tion she was known TO have maintained
with one James Malley, Jr., son of wealthy
dry goods merchant in New Haven, led 10
suspicion that she was the victim of foul
play. Under the guise of marriage engage
ment, she had been much in Malley's com.
pany. During the first week in August she
had been seen riding with that gentleman.
With them was girl of doubtful character,
Blanche Douglass of New York, and Walter
Malley, cousin of James. 1t is known that
they spent Wednesday night, August Sd,
together at the house of Mr.. Malley, Senior,
the latter being in Saratoga. Friday night,
August 9th, the party was seen at various
resorts at West Haven beach. Saturday
morning the body of Jennie was found as
stated above Whether remorse drove her
to suicide to end her disgrace, or whether
she died by the hand of Malley, justice is
endeavoring to discover from the tangled
web of evidence. The Douglass woman and
the Malleys are under arrest, and the Judge
has denied them the privilege of bail.
The tragic fate of this young German wo-
man is a note of solemn warning to the
girls Of every community in country or in
town. The "gltter and glare of the lber-
tine with social rank and unstinted sums of
money to spend are powerful, as they are
fatal, allurements in the eyes of the unwary
girl. Concerning "girls who are out at
night" the New York Herald is moved to
say: "The case of Jennie Cramer, at New
Haven, is sensational because it is not known
whether she died from an excessive dose of
chloroform administered by knave or
whether she committed suicide in re-
morse after first debauch. What
ever the tardy investigation may de-
velop, one thing, social, is herein demon
strated Jennie was very beautiful, and the
people with whom she, as the daughter of
cigar maker in moderate circumstances,
naturally associated, were proud of her.
People who had more money than her father
had flattered her because she was beautiful.
She had that freedom which girls of the
middle class in America too frequently have,
and her parents permitted her to be abroad
at night. Their idea, though they were
Germans, is the idea which prevails too ex.
tensively in this country-that a girl can
take care of herself. A girl cannot always
take care of herself, and where she is left to
that idea she will become contaminated
slightly or cruelty, as the case may be. Jen-
ME was out at night" However erring may
have been Jennie Cramer, over against her
fall, under the enticements of her gilded
tempter, place the poets burning character
ization of the class TO which her seducer be-
longs:
It Is there, in human FORM that bears heart
wretch villain lost to love and truth!
That can, with studied, sly ensnaring art
Betray sweet Jenny's unsuspecting youth?
Curse on his periured arts! assembling smooth
Is there no pity, no relenting ruth,
Points to the parent fondling DER their child?
Then points the ruined maid, and their distraction
wildl'
So long as society continues to recog-
nize and honor the wealthy or the fashion
able libertine, or condone his offences against
Just so long will it be indirectly
an accomplish in tragedies like this, and in
many Others which never see the light of
public knowledge.