Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-20
A GIRLS VIRTUE
Sold by Her Mother, Who is Driven In
sane by n Sense OF Her Shame and
Commits Suicide.
Tragic Fate of the Unfortunate Victim
A Sensational Newspaper Libel
Suit the Sequel.

CINCINNATI, December 19.-The CONNER
eidL prints the following special from Detroit:
A sensational case is now being tried in
the Superior Court in this city. 1t is suit
for alleged libel, brought by DR.. +. W. Bath
rick, a physician living in Battle Creek,
Mich, against the Detroit Pos and Tribune.
i he article sued upon was published IN ally,
1881, the Battle Greek correspondent OF the
paper sending dispatch to the effect that
DIR. Bathrick had been arrested for the crimes
of seduction and abortion. The facts in the
Gaze as developed on the trial are as follows:
There lived in Battle Creek a woman known
as Mrs. Prosser. She had daughter Anna
and a son James- Her husband had been
dead some years. In=y uor.-vary poor
The daughter was au invalid and the mother
was the janitress OF several buildings us~I
Tor offices. In the perform ance of her du-
Ties she became acquainted with DR.. Bath
rick. The story was that one evening he
proposed to her that If she would consent TO
his visiting her daughter he would pay her
literally. So great were her needs that
she consented, and Bathrick paid his first
visit that night. For nearly year, it is
alleged, the doctor was frequent caller at
the Prosser house, all of the time continuing
HIS ILLICIT INTIMACY WITH THE GIRL.
DuriuS that period il was disco vered that
the daughter was about to become mother
and Mrs. Prosser called the attention of
Bathrick TO the matter. At his dictation
Anna visited him al his office, and through
mis- instrumentality an abortion was pro-
cured. The doctor then discontinued his
visits TO the girl. 1t is claimed that Mrs.
Prosser, angered at the doctor for cutting of
the revenue che had derived by the sale OF
her daughters virtue, visited Bathrick, and
threatened TO give publicity to the fact that
he was IN The habit of visiting a house OF
Ill-repuie IL the vicinity of her own dwell
inn al hs.. 4 f,,IE Ill
promises she claimed he had IN ade to pro-
vide them with better home. Bathrick is
said TO have then and there denounced her
as biackmailer, and refused to have any,
thing 10 do with her. Mrs. Prosser next
called on one DIR. Weeks, a former partner of
BathTick, but now open and avowed
enemy OF the latter. To Weeks Mrs. Prosser
related the Story of BAthrick's debauchery
OF her daughter. Weeks gave inform alton
TO one Bro wn, the editor OF the local paper.
After consultation it was agreed 10 notify
the authorities, and accordingly justice of
the peace and TWO officers were lei into the
secret. These men visited Mrs. Prosser
and obtained the statements OF the mother
and daughter. An attempt was then
made, it is alleged by Bathrick, to induce
him to pay $500 to have the matter hushed
up. He refused TO pay cent. His arrest
was then agreed upon, and the justice was
engaged in making out a complaint which
Anna Prosser was TO swear to, charging
Bathrick with
SEDUCTION AND ABORTION,
upon which 10 issue a warrant for his arrest,
when Brown telegrsphed the story as stated
TO The Tribune and Times of Chicago, and the
I'ost and Tribune OF this city. Brown as
sumed that Bathrick would be arrested be-
fore the papers were published the following
day, and, therefore, stated that he had been
arrested, and it was SO published. The rea-
son Bathrick was not arrested was the refusal
OF Auna Prosser 10 swear 10 the complaint.
Brown neglected TO correct his dispatches.
Bathrick went to Chicago and induced the
Tunes and Tribune to publish retractions and
dismiss Brown, the correspondent. He claims
to have mailed 10 the Post and Tribune cop
les OF the papers containing the retraction.
The managing editor swears that they were
never brought TO his notice, and the first he
knew of Bathrick was when he brought this
suit, nearly eleven months after the publica-
ton OF the alleged libel. Now come the
TRAGIC ELEMENTS OF THE CASE.
Last May Mrs. Prosser, driven insane BY
sense OF her own shame in relation 10 this
scandal, committed suicide. The daughter
Anna made two unsuccessful attempts at
selt-destruction, and finally on the night
preceding the day the trial begun, she said
10 the people with whom she had been liv-
ing since her mothers death: $50 help me
Godl | will never go to Detroit as a witness"
She thsreupon rushed from the house, and
going -the-Eipar thFew-hersellk in.-4,4f-rs
persisted the last witness. When the case
was called the following day both parties
announced their readiness to proceed. The
plaintiff was represented by Mr.. Converse,
Battle Creek lawyer, and Col. John Akin
son, OF this city. The attorneys for the
paper were Henry NJ. Cheever and George
V. n. Lothrop, of Detroit, the latter being
without doubt the most eminent lawyer at
the bar of Michigan. The defense had filed
plea of justification, and, Notwithstanding
the
DEATH OF ANNA PRoSSER,
boldly declared that they would establish
the truthfulness of the charge. The defense
have charged that the alleged crime was
charged upon Bathrick in the paper pub
lished at Battle Creek by Brown, the man
WHO furnished the inform alton to the Post
and Tribune. They have shown that Bath
rick's reputation al Battle Creek is that of
an abortienisl. To prove this reputation
some of the best citizens of Battle Creek
have been called. The defense have also
shown by the Justice of the peace and the
two officers who took the dispositions of the
Prossers, mother and daughter, that they
both charged Bathrick with having first
duced the girl and subsequently, procured an
abortion. On the other hand, the plaintiff
has called numerous witnesses to prove that
his reputation in the neighborhood where he
resides is good. These witnesses have been
ably occupy several days.