The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-29
That Is Charge Against MRS
Mary Butler.
Arrested for MaItreating II
Year Old Step Daughter.
SAYS IT is NOT TRUE.
Accused Woman Charges Pros
ecutiOn to Malice.
Has Never Abused the Girl. She
Says.

Did Mrs. Mary Butler of 40 Law
renee street abuse her feebIe-minded
16-year old step daughter? That is
a question to be settled by Police
Judge Urmy.
Mrs. Butler was arrested by the po-
lice on Wednesday night for assault
and battery on an accusation that she
abused and whipped her 16-year- old
! step-daughter, who is feeble minded.
The trial of the case was called this
morning, but passed over until Friday
afternoon for final disposition in the
police court. It is claimed Mrs. Butler
struck the girl with board and also
used her fist.
| Three of the neighbors who live
close to the Buffers were seen today,
and also the girl herself, and all Of
! them stated that Mrs. Butler had been
anything but abusive and mean. The
people who made the complaints could
not be found.
The girl is a little over sixteen years
old, large and well proportional for
her age, Weighing probably 100
pounds. While young, she had spasms
and to an extent they affected her
mind. But she is far from dull, and
altogether acute enough to answer
questions intelligently.
docs your mother strike you with
boards or with her hst?" she was
NO" was the answer. though the
( look on her face was pitiful and
/ frightened, ''she never hits me but
with a little switch and sometimes
with her hand. She amt never hit
me hard at all. I amt a good girl
! sometimes, I know. and don't always
/ do what she says. She don't hit me
/ hard though. I'm goin' to be a good
girl and mind her now. She is good
| to me-"
Mrs Butler was in the same room
when the girl spoke in this way and
said: she is very exasperating at
times. She is big and strong and
| could knock me down if she wanted
to. She is not to blame. I married
! Mr.. Butler, who works in the Santa
Fe shops in May. I kept house for
/ him three months before that and be-
came acquainted with this girl then.
/ Her father told me to punish her If
she does not behave herself. I coaxed,
and pleaded. and begged with her to
! behave herself, but there are times
when she just won't mind. Mr.. But
/ Ter says that 1 treat her all right.
! Last night a stranger, an i'll dressed
sort Of fellow, came to the back door
and said I ought to be arrested for
abusing the girl. I didn't know him.
But I understand he went to the po-
lice station and complained against
me. That is the first I knew of it. 1
am going to the trial and take the
girl with me. Mrs. Thorpe can eX-
anime her body and see If she is
/ bruised or beaten. want her to go on
the witness stand herself and tell her
story"
woman by the name of Smith has told
some great tales about the way she
abused her child. she got mad at me. -
said Mrs. Butler, "and since that time
has told some awful stuff.
Mrs Smith was not at home and a
statement could not be secured from
her. Two of the neighbors living across
the way were asked but said they knew
nothing about it.
Mrs H B. NdcNeeley, who lives just
across the alley from the Buffers, at
4e5 Locust street. and who has known
I the Butler girl for a long while, and
also Mrs. Butler, said: Il never heard
of Mrs. Butler beating Effie. 1 know
that Effie yells and cries lots of times
when nobody touches her at all. She
seems to take spells. and is then absO-
lutely unreasonable. But am sur
prised to hear it charged against Mrs.
! Butler that she beat the girl. I never
heard of it before, and I have known
! both Mrs. Butler and the girl for long
/ while