Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-06-12
WHAr mrs. ra4ronER SAYS.


Also whns Another Teacher saw
suh the school ans
Opinion.
Mrs. Kate Thatcher, principal OF No.
IL school, who has baeu charged by
Special Agent Frank Stout Of the S. P.
O. O., with extreme cruelty In furnishing
one of her pupils, Harry Elliott, aged 10,
was seen on Tuesday afternoon at the
schoolhouse by representative OF the
GAZETTE.
Mrs. Thatcher was found by the re.
porter in one of the second floor rooms,
engaged hearing class in mathematics.
Upon being informed Of the reporters
mission the principal Immediately acqui-
esced in the request of an interview upon
the subject. Il was learned that another
teacher, Miss Ella Mitchell, the first as
sistant, was present when the punish
ment was administered to the boy, and
rs the latter is Harry Elliott's teacher,
the reporter quickly asked for first in
lefyiew with that lady.
| This request wss oheerfully accorded
and the wltnass was interviewed with the
following result On the day OF the
whipping, Miss Mitchell says, Harry gave
her great deal of trouble. At length he
became 30 Troublesome that Sue had to
report him to tine principal and had to
have him taken from her room. de was
| placed in Mrs. Thatcher's private room
and whom the latter was ready TO admin
lister the punishment Miss Mitchell came
into the room and sat in o char at one
end of it while the principal addressed
the boy in the endeavor to see il he could
not bs influenced by personal remou-
STRANGE. Instead he was surly and even
impudent The whipping was then given
him. Miss Mitchell asserts positively that
hss. Thatcher Administered few light
taps only upon his lower limbs. Some
heavier blows were given across the boys
rubber boots. But nothing was done
throughout the whipping that was to the
slightest degree cruel or excessive. Mrs.
Thatcher was perfectly composed and
quiet all the time. The boy was certainly
not hurt in tine sense asserted by Mr..
Stout. What vas used was rattan about
! of an inch thick.
In regard to the lads record Miss
Mitchell says he is disobedient. He has
an impudeut manner, and at times car
ries this 10 extremes. His teacher re-
ported the boy to his mother only tine
day before the whipping A few weeks
previous to TINT she had to send 10 KRIS.
Elliott to come 10 the school on account
of Hsrry's misDehavior. On that oc-
casion she took him home, exclaimiug
abe would who him well herself. Mrs.
Elliotts ordinations, in reply to the
teachers words, "lf his misbehayior con-
tinnes I'll have to report him to Mrs.
Thatcher for q whipping" were Ger
tsinly," and turning TO Harry she added,
"Hgtry, you hear tbat2n
Mrs. Thatcher herself disclaims posi-
lively having bsen harsh with the boy.
she exhibited the rattan used which IL OF
the kind described. She had always 7ed
small willow switches for the purpose
but two years ago boy brought her half
n dozen rattana, three of which she yet
has. The boy was quietly whipped. At
first he was given a few light taps, when
he begen to fight and glvaimpuGenee. Hs
was heard doing so by the children in
the adjoining room. Ho used bad words
and threatened the principal. Mrs.
Thatcher says she purposely whipped
him across the boots ia order that the
noise of the switch might have some
eject in subduiag MIN. she asserts that
these heavier blowa upon the boots could
hardly have hurt him at all.
Harry Elicit is not d cripple nor ha,
he been sick this term. The teacher
have Knowledge of no Gilment that he
may be alleged to possess. Mrs
Thatcher has been principal six years
and last term with 800 pupils she gave
only II whippings. In Harry's case tn,
/ whipping was neither heavy nor pro
longed ana was done with a light rattan
, 81 positively state" added the pyinci
pal, THAI lie was struck neither on thu
head arms, nerk nor back Harry ther
took hi7 sat and ran out.
His mother brought him back iplmedi
Rlely and in an extreme passion showed
him TO Miss Mitchell. The latter saw
three or four (nOt mOre) red marks OF
his legs. ''None of these were welts
the teacher says and would naturally
vanish IN few hours.
Special Agsnt Stout come to the schoo
, and saw tne teacher3. The cnns wal
Q shown him aud Che facts related. II,
laughed the matter on, staung that il
:. could not njurs the boy. lie left tbs
: school-honsa laughing and exolsiming
~ think you've case of disurderly COP
I, duct against him.
I Since that date May 21st to Friday las
9 Mr., Stout has been worrying no the caa
n unknown to the principal who was strucI
. agnast when she was handed the sun
!, mons by Mr.. Stout to aEp9ar at cour
= the +. lowing morning,
. The day of the whipping Thomas F
!. O'DonGell, chairman Of tbs school com
n mittee saw ths child. He WAS brought /
n him by Mrs Elliott. An iuy-stigatio
z WAS held. The mother re USE 70 $40,
: ths marks to Mr.. 0DonnslI. The latte
1 is OF the opiniou that Harry thorough
! deserved the puui'buent he got on tn
a occasion referred tn