The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-27
HAZEL ORME'S TROUBLES
THE M~ARTINECKs' TRIAL ATTEND
ED BY 4 BIG CROWD.
Many Witnesses Tell What They
Know About the Alleged ILL
Treatment of the Child.

--
Police Court yesterday. with two short
recesses. lasted from 9 o'clock in the morn
ing until II o'clock at night. The chief
case OF the day was the trial Of William
Martineck and his wife. Of 70S Blake street,
on the charge of ill-treating Hazel Orme,
who is critically i'll at the home of her par
ents, 426 South West street. Upon the adj
vice of w. a. Joyce. OF the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians. John Orme swore out
warrants against Martineck and his wife.
The case was postponed several days
ago until 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon,
and when il was called for trial there were
no less than four hundred persons in the
courtroom. During the progress of the trial
more came, and at 4 o'clock il was
estimated that not less than six hundred
persons were in the courtroom and the
corridors. Every seat was taken and the
three aisles were sOlidly packed. Curious
persons crowded even into the portion re-
served for witnesses. prisoners and the OPP
posing counsel, and twice during the aft
ernOOn IL was necessary for Bailiff Daw-
son 10 clear this part of the room, as well
as the aisles.
There was considerable confusion and be-
cause of this the testimony of witnesses
could not be heard easily, although they
talked in an unusually loud voice. Order
was difficult TO preserve. 1t seemed as IL
the crowd expected something of a SEN
sational. "racy" nature. and each time
the testimony of witnesses bordered on
this there were whispered m in ali
parts of the room, which called forth re-
peated demands for order and silence. Prob
ably no Police Court case in the last sew
eral years has attracted so much atten-
ton. The audience" as the gathering
was frequently called by Judge Stubs, was
anxious to see and size UP" the princi-
pals and the witnesses, and women mount
ed to the backs of chairs, their feet rest
ing upon the seat and because of the gen
eral practice they were even then obliged
to stretch in order to see.
At IL O'Clock last night the defense had
just finished with its witnesses. 1t was
agreed then to adjourn to 3 O'Clock this
afternoon. Before setting the time for the
argument Judge Stubs announced that he
would visit the home OF Hazel Orme and
talk with her regarding her treatment, be-
fore listening to the arguments.
los OF THE CROWD
The evening session of the court was
well attended and nearly every seat in the
court room was occupied. Both afternoon
and evening about three-fourths of the at
tendants upon the trial were women, most
of whom seemed to be particularly pleased
when matters which would not properly be
called subjects of dining-room or parlor
conversation We're brought out. Nudges
with the elbow and significant winks and
glances were conspicuous. Prosecutor Col
Inns is something of a joker and several
times, especially during
and subsequent direct examination by the
defense played to the galleries" On such
occasions q. Il. orion, attorney for the de-
PENDANTS, became indignant and as a re-
suit there were occasional and amusing
outbursts of repartee. all of which was
enjoyed by the audience and until the
hour grew late by Judge Stubs. although
he tried TO suppress evidence of his feeling.
Throughout the. proceedings were in sew
eral ways unusual and irregular, owing to
a desire on the part of the court and coun-
SCI to witnesses by permitting
them to testify out of the order, so as to
allow them TO get away to business or home
duties instead of waiting in the court room.
This accommodation toward the end of the
session resulted In a spirited debate, which
was settled by Judge Stubs, who allowed
the State. which had rested at $50 o'clock.
to put on the stand for direct examination
two witnesses.
The case opened with the testimony Of
DIR. PettijOhn. who was ummOne by the
defendants. He testified that he had ex-
amined the sore on the leg of Hazel Orme
I'm December and had prescribed for her,
and later advised Martineck to give her
needed attention, as her blood was thin
and she was seriously i'll. Upon the retire
ment of DR.. PettijOhn the State opened its
case with the evidence of John Orme. the
father of the girl. He told in detail of
the condition of the girl upon her arrival
at home about two weeks ago; that she
had, during the time she had been at the
Martineck home, visited her own home but
three times by herself. and that he had
called at the Martineck home several
times to see her, but did not find the fam
lily. He said he went TO see her on Thanks
giving day and found her working about
the house with no shoes on and only scanti-
ly clad. He went again about Christmas
and wanted TO take her home, but left her
there because. he said. Mrs. Martineck
claimed she needed her. He noticed, he
said, at that time that she was failing
rapidly. He went again the Sunday fol-
lowing Christmas, and was refused permits
sion TO take her away because OF the cold
weather. On the second Sunday after
Christmas he went again and could not get
her. because, he claimed. Mrs. Martineck
was III and confined 10 her bed. He de
MED upon cross-examination that he and
his wife had separated.
DIR. Garstang, police surgeon, was the
next witness. He testified to the eXamina-
ton of the girl made by him on the day
of the arrest of Martineck and his wife.
He thought the child had been ill-treated
in some manner. While he was on the
stand LAWYER orion, in a spirited Objec-
ton. outlined his line OF defense. He said
ne proposed 10 show hat the girl, who Is
nearly fourteen years of age, was IN her
present condition as the result of i'll treat
ment received while visiting her parents.
DR.. Garstang, on cross-eXamiation, SAID
that the conditions outlined by Lawyer or
ton would have just such an effect as Is
now seen in Hazel Orme. One of his
strongest statements. in view OF the manner
in which she is reported to have eaten since
her return home. was that she had every
appearance of having been underfed and
the manner of one who had been III treated
He thought lack of nOurishment and III
! treatment would have "A very marked tend
Grey TO increase physical decline due pri.
marily to such causes as the defenSt
| claimed had caused her present condition.
The views of DIR. Garstang were also helC
BY DIR. Durham. who had treated the chilC
at her home. and by DR.. w. b. Fletcher
who was called by the defense as an eX
pert for this purpose as well as that OF
/ showing that Hazel Orme was feeble-mind'
ed. DR.. Durham, in talking of the spots OF
her back. about which there was mucl
/ contention. called them discolOrationS O
the skin and said the skin had not beer
broken. The State contended these mark:
were the remaining evidences OF severe
beatings with a strap.
TESTIMONY OF NEIGHBORS.
William BeaI. OF III Blake stree. across
the street from the Martineck home. saiC
he had seen Mrs. Martineck strike Haze
Orme. Bertha Hays. of 77 Maxwell street
witness for the state, said she had worked
one dav at the house. During this time