Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-09
PRETTY JENNIE CRAMER.


8VSU oC NUNAA AN AMI fA1Su1kbA A4oUs
She Fcl!in With tho eMaIleyS-Whatthe
Lawyers Seek to Establish.
When the body of Jennie Cramer was
discovered by Uncle Asa Curtiss, the clam
digger, early on the morning Of August 6
last. in the waters of Long Island Sound
that skirt Savin Rock, it was attired III
clothes quite characteristic Of the girl.
The dress was of pure white, tastefully
trimmed and cut low at the neck. Her hat
| was of the & GainsbOrough style turned back
| from the forehead aud embellished with
| feathers aud flowers to add to its attrac-
| tiveness. uer stockings were Of fashion
able hue and her shoes new and of the
| best make. Around her neck was double
| row of silver beads and on her fingers were
several rings, one of thcm having gold
dollar pendant, Oh which was engraved her
| initials. AS seen few days before her
death III this costume Jennie looked very
attractive, but did not give ono the i'm
preston that she was possessed of an over
abundance of mOdesty. 1t could be seen
at glance that Sue was fond OF admira'
| tiOn and an acquaintance could easily be
| formed. Tho girl was of striking type OF
| beauty. Her eyes were black, large and
lustrous, with dropping, dark eyelashes.
Her features were regular, the mouth par
ticularly pretty, with bright red lips ant,
just trifling inclination to pOut. Her
teeth were regular and white aud her skin
of remarkable whiteness and purity.
This gave credence to the report that she
was an habitual arsenic eater, but those
who knew her in early childhood say that
her skin was always white and clear. Her
form was well rounded and her carriage
graceful.
The girl had hosts of admirers and at
tracted the attention of young men above
her in social station. Though not possess
ing moro than an ordinary education and
having no gift of conversation, she was
fond of gaycty and at times vivacious.
Her mother allowed her a wido latitude,
much to her regret, doubtless. She was
taken from school at IN carly age, and for
five years before her death-her age then
| being twenty -One-she had little to do but
nurse her beauty apd receive the iiattcry
of young men. She attended her father s
cigar store sufficiently to enable her to
form AL extensive acquaintance with the
youth of the city. Her facilities in this
regard were enlarged through the indul-
gence of her mother and the sociability
which prevails among the Germans. Mrs.
Cramer accompanied her daughter to balls,
sOclables aud picnics and frequently left
her to bo escorted home by Il young man.
At German dances and sociab!vs here, us
elsewhere, it is not considered out Of tho
way for young ladies to indulge in an oc-
casiOnal glass of wine or beer, and Jennie
was 10 exception to the rule. She enjoyed
Il glass of cool lager after waltz and did
not hesitate to drink it at the bar. At
many of these German dances which she
attended young men of the town'and Yale
students were frcquenters, and Jennie was
an attraction for them. 1t is said that on
more than one occasion she had been seen
smoking cigarettes surrounded by male adj
mirers in the refreshment room of the
dance hall. This freedom caused talk and
all agree that the girls training was un.
fortunate. In cross ss-cxamining Mrs. Cra-
msr the other day ON the witness stand,
tho lawyers for the dcfonse endeavored to
show from her own lips that she was in
dulgent in her control of Jennie, and tol
Grated conduct that would be condemned
by parents having a proper comprehension
of the rules Of propriety. Admissions to
this effect were skillfully drawn out and
will be used in the summing up with tic
best possible effect on the jury.
| The theory of tho prosecution is that
Jennie Cramer was first ruined and then
poisoned by the Malleys and Blanche
Douglass, tho motive for the murder
being a threat Of prosecution of James
Malley if he did not marry her. The de-
fense realize the Importance of proving
that the girl was unchaste before associ-
ating SO intimately with the Malleys and
Blanche Douglas. The latter, the prose-
| cutiOn claim, was brought here to assist
in the ruin of Jennie, and thus the theory
| of the state is 4 strong ono in view of the
character of Blanche. Detectives have
! been at work for a long time to obtain
testimony regarding the chastity of Jen
ME. Tho experienced lawyers for the
defc' = arr fully aware that it would
ruin .iicr ease with Yankee jury
to a.:'i!i the dead girls character
withous .3c:"l!ing overwhelming proof
If the ci:;..li. The point is an important
one, yc. a2.1-jiingly delicate to handle.
That the s2::,gy of the defense is now di
rected toward getting such proof, how
ever, there is no doubt. A girl living a
free and easy sort Of life, with hosts of
male admirers, al indulgent mother, and
given to carriage riding and shore suppers,
is bound to suffer somewhat in reputation
IN any community, Out IL Is q 1acG CIl;aC III
all that has been said and done since the
discovery of the body Of the dead girl, no
one has openly assailed her character as
to chastity previous to her carousels with
the Mallcys and the New York strumpet,
Blance Douglass.
In her eighteenth year Jennie kept
steady company with young German
barber of New Haven, to whom she SEEM
ed devotedly attached. For twelve OF
! fifteen months the twain were constantly
together evenings and ON fine Sundays
went riding. 1t was supposed they were
engaged to be married. In tho latter part of
this intimacy Jennie went to New York on
| 4 visit and was absent several days. On
her return her lover treated her quite
coolly and finally the pair parted company
and tho friendship was never aftcrward
renewed. Strong efforts have been made
by agents for the defense to induce this
young man to explain why he so abruptly
broke off with Jennie, but, it is said, with
out avail. He refuses to say anything
more than, so far as he knew, Jennie was
a good girl, but strong headed and fond of
pleasure.
Restored to the lsar.
Chief Justice SharSwOOd in the supreme