Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-16

BRUTAL MURDER OF LITTLE GIRL BY HI
STEPFATHER

BRUTAL MURDER OF A LITTLE GIRL BY HER
STEPFATHER.
At the inquest on the body of Iottie Cook On
ORR in Philadelphia Wednesday, the revolving
story OF her cruel death was told under oath
Her stepfather, the Italian, C. Achille Onofri
who is accused of killing her, was present as a
prisoner. The body of the deceased child, who
was only nine years old, was covered with cuts
and bruises. The coroner's physician testified
that her veins were almost empty, and that the
child had literally been starved and beaten to
death. Other witnesses testified to the frequent
number of beatings administered by Onofri to
his stepchildren. On Monday it was shown
OnOfri logged little LOttie nearly all Gay using
thick rope, a heavy strap and a shovel, the
handle OF the latter being broken on her head
or body Her stepfather also tied her hand
ana foot and compelled her to kneel down for
hours. At night she crawled up stairs to
bed, ia and q, because be-. a.,. she moaned and com
with shovel. 1t was shown that
after lying quiet awhile, the dying child again
began to moan, when her step1ather in a great
rage fell upon her, smothered her head under
a pillow, and sat upon it. When released the
young victim. as her little sister Mabel said,
"lay very quiet OnOfri then struck her twice
in the face with his fist, and, although She did
not stir, struck her again with the shovel Then.
becoming alarmed at the increasing pallOr on
her little face, the stepiuther sent for a doctor
When the physician arrived the child was in
Onofris arms, dead. Further testimony was
siven TO show how he had beaten his other
sfepchiidren numerically, and that his correc-
tional treatment included hanging them up for
hours by the thumbs
The other children suffering from their step
fathers brutality were unable to be present at
the inquest, and the jury adjourned to the
German hospital to hear the stories told by the
little sufferers. When they arrived they learned
from the doctors that the condition of the bow
Willie, was SO critical that it was feared that If
he was compelled to dwell on the subject of the
ill-treatrnent it might result seriously The
jury, however, heard the statement OF Mabel, a
bright little girl, who told her story in such a
straightforward way that 1t greatly excited thu,
sympathy of the hearers. Her story fully cor
robOrated that of the other witnesses UpOn
conclusion of her testimony the jury after con
sultatiOn, rendered the following verdict: 1.-The
jury finds that the child came to her death
from shock and of hcmOrrhage and bleeding
wounds at the hands OF her stepflther AchilIe
OnOili. and the jury recommends that a com.
munication be sent to the district attorney re-
questing speedy trial OF the accused
The three surviving step-chldren were re-
ported yesterday to be in improved cOndi-
ton. One of the physicians at the hospital
stated that the boy Willie was badly bruised
about the body, his hand was burned and he
was suffering from blow in the stomach
caused he alleged, by brick thrown at him
by his stepiather. The eldest girl, Mabel is inn
proving rapidly, but is suffering from nervous
excitement. The youngest child, who is four
years of age, was taken to the hospital The
child has black eye and bruises about the
head and body. She had, however SO far re-
covered as To be able to run about the institu-
ton yesterday.