Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-28
SERIOUS CHARGE
Arrest Of Z School Teacher for Altered
Cruel Treatment.
A Boy Said to Be. Dying From the Re.
suit of the Assault-Stntenirrt
of the Teacher.

Moses Stevens. a ten-year-old colored
school boy, who lives with his mother at
No. ll24 New Jersey avenue northwest, has
been confined to his bed for several weeks
and his attending physicians have no hope
whatever of his recovery. The boy was
once d strong. heartyloOking lad, but now
ne Is so emaciated as to be almost skel-
eton. His present condition, ii is charged
Is the result of punishment inflicted by his
teacher, Miss Sarah Jane Jennifer who
presides over the fifth grade in the Slater
building. which is on street northwest
between North CaDito: and LIST streets.
Mrs. Me1vlna Stevens, the boys mother,
swore out a warrant for the teacher yes
terday. and the case may possibly be aired
In the Police Court.
1t was on the 2sth day Of last month that
the alleged assault is charged to have taken
place The boy, who had never had any
trouble in school before, so his mother
says, returned home from school and COM
planned that his teacher had ill-treated
him. Soon afterward he was taken sick
and had to go to bed
Principal MOntEOmery's Investigation
Complaint was made to the school author
tiles and Mr.. Montgomery. the supervising
principal. made a thorough investigation Of
the charges. His report fully exonerated
the teacher He listened to the statements
Of the children in Miss Jennifers room and
could only learn that she seated him on the
platform as a means Of furnishing him for
inattention during studies.
The patient grew worse. and when one OF
the doctors told Mrs. Stevens that her boy
would die and that nothing could be done
for him, she went to the Police Court and
swore out a warrant which was placed in
the hands Of the officers of the second pre-
cinct.
Miss Jennifer learned Of Mrs. Stevens
actions and this morning she consulted her
attorney, Mr. Campbell Darlington, accom-
panied by Mr.. Montgomery and another
teacher.
Mr. Darlington went into court and had
ball fixed in the case at 5000
Mr. Montgomery qualified as bondsmau.
but the case was not set for a hearing on
any particular day.
The Boys story.
The boys story of the affair, as he told
his mother, is that his teacher called him
up to her desk. gave him a terrible shak-
ing and then pushed him upon the plat
form so violently that he fell, with his back
striking the sharp edge of the platform
and his head butting against the floor of It.
This was the story of the affair as told
by the mother to a Star reporter today.
She also said that there was a scar across
his back, where he had struck against the
platform. The doctor, she said told her
that his spine was injured. and that in
fiammation of the brain had set in. He
told her. she said that there was not the
slightest chance Of his recovering. 1t seems
the patient Is unconscious. and his mother
says that he has called for all his teachers,
with the exception Of Miss Jennifer Be-
fore this affair she said her boy was the
picture Of health, and had not even COM
planned of being sick.
What Miss Jennifer Says.
Miss Jennifer. the teacher. told Star re-
porter that she had been teaching for ten
years and this was the first time she ever
had any trouble with a pupil For three
days before the affair, she said, the boy was
drowsy and often he would put his head on
his desk and go to sleep. She permitted it.
thinking he was sick On the day of the
affair. she said. she called him from his seat
for inattention to studies and seated him
on the platform by pressing on his shout
ders. There was another boy punished at
the same time and in that same way she
said. and the affair did not even interrupt
the lesson. 1t had been stated she said that
she struck the boy, but further than stated
she asserted she did not touch him.