The herald., 1893-02-17
DID THE WHIPPING KILL HIM?
Serious Charges Made Against
a School Teacher.
Mrs. Claussen's Petition to the Board
of Education.
She claims That Her Little Boy Was
Whipped on the Stomach With
Strap, which Caused
His Death.

The HERALD some days ago printed a
statement from Mrs. Louisa Claussen,
relative to the death of her son August,
which she claimed was caused by corpo-
real punishment administered by Miss
Tracey, q teacher in the Geary-street
school.
The HERALD at the time sent re-
porter to the school to investigate the
case. Miss Tracey was not there, but
the principal admitted that a strap was
used for Furnishing pupils, but said that
they only "tickled the legs" of bad
children with it, and denied that August
Claussen had been hit on the stomach.
Yesterday Mrs. Claussen, through her
attorney, @. @. Stephens. filed the fol-
lowing petition with the city board of
education:
Los ANGELES, CAL, Feb. Is, 1898.
To the Honorable the Board of Education of
the City OF Los Angeles:
The undersigned, Mrs. Louisa Claus
sen, a resident at 236 Omar avenue, said
city, respectfully represents to your
honorable board that on and prior to
the 9th day of January, 1898, her son,
August Claussen, IL years of age, was a
pupil at the Geary-Htreet school, in the
city of Los Angeles, and was taught by
and was under the Jurisdiction of Miss
Tracey, one of the teachers of said public
school.
That on and prior to the said 9th day
of January, 1898, said August Claussen
was in good health and without any in
dications of disease and without any
marks or bruises or lacerations upon his
body.
That on the evening of said 9th day
of January, 1892, said August Claussen
came home from said public school, and
| reported to his mother, the undersigned,
that he was in great pain by reason of
having been struck that day several
times by the said teacher. Miss Tracey,
with heavy leather strap upon and
across his abdomen, for the simple and
only reason that she had seen him there
tofore standing with his hands in his
pockets.
That thereupon the undersigned ex-
amined the body Of said child and found
across the abdomen, from one side to
the other, heavy, black and blue and
livid marks, as If made by the stroke of
strap, and the said child then and
there assured the undersigned that said
injuries were caused as hereinbefore
stated.
That the said child thereupon and
thereafter suffered greatly therefrom the
following night and day, which was Sat-
urday, and until the following Tuesday,
January 31st, the undersigned having
applied to the bruises upon his sb-
domen such plasters and lotions and
giving him such domestic treatment
therefor as she thought and believed to
be right and proper under the circum-
stances, but that he continually grew
worse, and upon said Tuesday, becom-
ing alarmed at his condition resulting
from said injuries and bruises upon his
abdomen, she called physician, under
| whose treatment the said child remained
until the following Friday, February
| Sd, when the said child died, solely. as
the undersigned is informed and be-
| lieves, by reason of the cruel and in
| human treatment that he had received
at the hands of said teacher, just one
week previous, and from no other cause,
And the undersigned respectfully
petitions your honorable board to set a
time and place for the hearing of the
matter herein set forth, and to cite the
said teacher to appear before this hon
orable board at said time and place and
answer touching the matter herein set
forth, and that subpenss be issued for
such witnesses as the undersigned shall
represent to this board to the end that a
full investigation may be mad for. the
matter and things herein set forth, and
that such action thereupon may be taken
by this honorable board as may be
found to be within its jurisdiction and
as may be meet and proper. And your
petitioner will ever pray.
Mrs. LOUISA CLAUssEN.
@. @. STEPHENS, atty for petitioner.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
County OF Los ANGELES. &C.
Mrs. Louise Claussen, being first duly
sworn, says that she has heard read the
foregoing petition, knows the contents
thereof, and that the same is true OF her
own knowledge except as to the matters
therein stated of her information or be-
lief, and as to those matters she believes
to be true. MRS. LOUISA CLAssEN.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 10th day of February, A. D. 1898.
JOHN @. BEMLY,
Notary public in and for Los Angeles
county, California.
THAT VERNON ONION.