Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-02-16
THE RIGLE.R CASE
1T RESULTS IN A VERDICT OF AC.
QUlTrAL.
The Jury Stay Out Twelve Hours
The Testimony on BJth Sides, and
the Law Bearing on the Case.

cided in Portland, Oregon.
The eighth day of last November
Frank Rigler, principal of the Park
school, severely castigated Charles
"ebber, pupil, for disorderly con
duct. The following day Professor
higher was arrested, on a charge of
assault and battery, tried by a Justices
jury, and fined S25. The case was
appealed to the Circuit Court, where
District Attorney McGinn, r. L. Nc
kee, and S. r. Stott appeared for the
prosecution (the two latter having
been retained by citizens of Portland,
owing to the poverty of the parents
of the pupil), and II. Y. Thompson
for the defense.
The case was called last Saturday,
at half past 0 o'clock, a. m, the spa
cious courthouse being crowded with
ladies and gentlemen.
The Portland Daily News, which
devoted four columns oflast MONDAYS
issue to the case, states thar the first
witness called was Charles Weber.
He is BOY Of IA, small for his age,
but we'll made, and possessed of more
than ordinary brightness and intelli-
gence. He testified that the S.h Of
November he was student in Miss
kinysley's room in the Park School,
and shortly after the morning session
began, for the otfense oflaughing, was
taken into the hall, where his teacher
began to reprove him for his conduct:
it was not the frs: time he had
laughed or whispered, nor the first
that he had been corrected; he bad
even been punished for breaking pet
ty rules re ating to the conversion OF
pupils Into mere automatic.
While Miss Kingsley and he were
in the hall Professor Rgler happened
along, and a statement of the trouble
was made, whereupon Charley was
asked to stepinto the Principals office !;
after his entrance there he was ordered
to remove his coat, preparatory to re-
ceiving punishment.
Professor Rigler took three switches
from shelf, and selecting the largest,
a stick nearly an inch in diameter and
about three feet in length and covered
with knots, threw the boy down and
struck some fearful blows. Charley
cried for mercy. The punishment
continued, and struggle ensued, in
which Charley was ja,nmed against
the wood box and hammered and
cutfed and damned until his 'dsclplin-
ar 1" was satisfied, and the stick brok-
en- and thrown into the stove. While
held to the floor he used his right arm
70 ward off the blows rained upon his
shoulders and back, and it too re-
cei>ed a share of the punishment.
On being shown the switch submit
ted as evidence he swore it was not
more than half as large as the one
with which he had been whipped.
After "correcting" the pupil Pro.
fessor Rigler sat down and began to
write. Several minutes passed, after
which the Professor took Charley in
to Miss kingsley's room, and briefly
addressing the students said that he
was sorry to be obliged to punish any
one, and hoped he would no. be
called upon to repeat the work of the
morning.
AT the noon hour Charley went to
DR.. Hicks's Office and was examined.
The wells remained on his back for
one week, and he suffered from the
fleets of the beating for more than a
fortnight.
Robert Page was the next witness
He accompanied Charley to DR..
H!cks's Office, and saw that the whipped
boys back was covered with grea,
wells, his side was cut and his right
arm severely bruised. Counsel for de.
Tense asked this witness no questions.
DIR. Hicks next took tie stand. He
testified that Charley came to his Of.
fee about noon on November 9Th and
told of the punishment to which he
had been subjected; he was nervous
and Frustrated; the doctor removed
the boys clothing and found his back
and arms i'll highly confused state,
giving evidence that very severe,
castigation had been administered a
recent date; the welts he could not
describe, but they we're large and had
evidently been produced by an inst.u-
ment of considerable thickness
Mr.. McGinn-.'Dr. hicks, did you
ever see the effect of punishment in
Aicted by the cato nine tai!s:"
Or. Hicks-"Y es, SIR"
"dow does this boys back compare
with the result of such chastsement"
ut resembles it very much; indeed
it looks as if it may have been bruised
by just such an instrument
DIR. Hicks swore positivel y that the
switch produced by the defense as the
one with which the whipping was ad
mnstered could not possibly have