The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-12-16
Cause of Death of John Joiner :
Little Crippled Girl
inquired Int.
SHE SUFFERED GREAT AGONY.
Permitted 10 Lie in Accumulated
Filth Until Her Cot of Rags
and Straw Isccamc Il Pu-
1rcfying Mass.
pEPTEI.i, SpEsTNI.

REFI iI.it SPE'TAl.
IIarrishurg Ill. Dec. II A preliminary
trial held here to-day I'm the case - J"hn
Joiner. charged with having starved his L.
yeaT-oid crippled child 10 death. developed
testimony which is startling. Tho COM
rlairt WAS made Ivy L. N cox. whose
farm the prisoner lived. and score "f viii
nesses swore on the stand describing The
,nhu,nan treatment 10 which the child WAS
subjected by its parents.
According to the testimony Of these Wit
nesses. the child was deprive -d of a ticccu;
bed on which to lie. and instead. MAS
placed in an unused room and mad, - lie
on pile Of straw and odd rag. t'"g a
while food was given 10 the child. and she
was made t. help herself best he. COULD
Al times. driven 10y the ago: les of hunger
she would reach oiIt In her varalyZ.,! CON
uiti"n TO eat and invariably would spill the
food. water or coffee over her clothing and
bed. her hands bcin; helpless and unabj"
TO hold It. and this was allowed ,u DO
cufnulate AID Remain th.r,. until fH,. straw
had rotted under her. The parents wclc lot
uisposcd 10 help the child in any WY. ,'nr
weeks she lay IN the accumulated ,i.Ih IN
tt 'nu III MS mere: rril.Nrt. p. ,yf Nor
suhe!ing- by death. Witnesses .I.,n .wnr.,
that, after the child had died urur ~
aiHlnauou II WAS found that her body WAS
Dlstered and scorched from the h,,t of
me rotted mess III which she Law Al tho
i"ii tHe prisoner had nothing 10 s.y IN
mlS own Dehalf except. upon being asked
mhS ne did not put the child into o.. of
uie Two beds In the house he SAID thaf
they had to use them for himself ana rhr
rest of the family ' Wv
inrouSh the courtesieS OF Sheriff rar.ar
NepupiIc reporter permitted g., in
.erliSw the prisoner. He was very viil',.-
70 talk and told his story in a st-airhf
1870, ~, "aru manner aId did not app,ar Ia
nave any desire 10 hide anything.
statement of the Father,
he said: Il formerly lived in ro,e Co,in-
y ana am Is years old. I am accused of
i,aVlns neglected ard starved my chiid ~
uedtH. lnere is not any truth In IL For
some reason my neiShbors are ruad at M.
ara say am trifiing. NV Ia, dior! v,1tn1
me 10 work for him for nearly nothing ami
refusef to DO IT. This aucer,d him and
@ ,.la1 y why ne mas caused my arrest. They
;i,c.Gse a. me or having allowed my child 10 lie
az -. ntth 1 am poor man and was not able
10 change her bedding rs Otter, as ~ c,n,ii
aaS nave nesh done, but / did the best 1 oouii
ahd furnished medical attention
Upon being asked when the doctor had
idst seen the Child. he said il was ahout a
iuomth before the child died
=, Wnen the proper time comes cou-
.Ieeu tne prisoner. 81 will yindica.e NV
Ell. ana with a number pf witnesses w;II
Sho" mat am falsely accused
IN the ihulctment the prisoner Is rhar- ID
SIMPLY with cruelty. but State Aftornev
K Somers. IN an interview to-day saws
III unaI ne mas sufficient evidence and will
,ha uhe,y change the Indictment AMI charge
the prisoner with murder. The feeling bnr.
~ somewhat prejudiced against III. n-is
oher. and In justice TO him the Interview
above is given " 'i''e"