The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-01-18
Trial of Professor Penbollow.

, Despite the bad weather and the fa
: that travel was impeded by the heavy ia
+ of snow, on Friday. there was lars
e crowd of people from Bordentown to wi
s ness the trial of Walter G. Penhollow, tt
? city superintendent of the Bordentow
8 public schools, who was indicted by I'll
e grand Jury on very grave charge. TIL
case has attracted attention in all parts
the county and the audience was not col
fined to the citizens of Bordentown. This
place is much divided on the question {
the guilt or innocence of the accused an
, many friendships have been severed
strained on account of the affair
} Owing to the storm the jurors were nc
promptly on hand at half-past nine o 'cloc
, and it was nearly ten before any step
were taken toward beginning the pre-
ceedings. The state and the defenc
, availed themselves of all legal advantage
to challenge the jurors, and it was nearl
eleven o'clock before twelve men had bee
selected. Those finally chosen were: J
L. Schmeirer, Cinnaminson; ]. Lecler
Shedaker, Burlington city; Aaron Sheda
ker, Burlington township; Wilmer G
Davis, New Hanover; Owen Oatman
Pemberton; John Fl. Croshaw, New Han
over; William Workman, Mount Laurel
Charles E. Woodward, Chesterfield
Charles D. Barton, Evesham; Charles G
Allen, Chester; ]. Fred Bauer, Cinnamin
son; Harry McKenny. Oinnaminson.
Prosecutor Atkinson outlined the cas-
on the part of the state by relating tn
fact that Hattie Aaronson, girl who will
be sixteen years of age next month, is
pupil of the public school OF Borden
town. On the 18th of October she wa
called TO the Office of the superintendent
and that official used language unfit to b,
used to girl and finally committed al
assault upon her.
Hattie Aaronson, the complainant In th,
case, told her story in voice that coulC
hardly be heard, and the stenographer wal
continually called upon to repeat hel
answers to the jury. She told of being
called to the Office by Mr.. Penhollow about
the seventh of October. At that time the
superintendent cautioned her about going
with young men, and told her of the con.
sequences of relations with men, and gave
her some idea of the troubles that are
natural to married women. A week later
he again called Hattie to the Office. This
time she was about to leave the building
at the noon hour, and the superintendent
called her from the line of scholars as
they were about to leave che building.
According to the girl the superintendent
took her to the Office and kept her there a
long time, again telling her many things
that might properly be communicated to
her by her mother but not by a man.
Finally he asked her to kiss him. She re-
fused and he then took hold of her and
tried to force her to kiss him and com
mitted the assault for which she had him
indicted. She said the man afterward
begged her not to mention the affair, as it
would mean the state prison for him.
Former Prosecutor Budd represented
the defendant and he conducted long
and searching cross-examination of the
witness He gained from her that she
went home as soon as she could get away
from Penhollow. She wept as he was
committing the act, and when he released
her he told her to go and wash her eyes
and face. She went home but did not eat
any dinner, going upstairs and lying on
the bed and crying. She did not return
to school right on time, but was somewhat
and gave her note to her teacher excus-
ing her for hardness on the ground that
her mother was away from home. This
was at first denied, but it transpired later
that the mother did go to Trenton that
afternoon. When Hattie got home she
did not tell her mother what had hap
pened, nor did she mention it until six
days later when she told neighbor. Her
mother went away on the Sunday follow
ing the assault, and when she returned on
the following Tuesday she was informed
of the occurrence. Hattie claimed not to
have had chance to tell her mother dur
ing the day s that followed.
When the girl was questioned by Mr. At
kinson she told story of what happened,
but in reply to persistent questioning by
Mr.. Budd she admitted there was much
more said than she had told in the first
place. She said Mr.. Penhollow had called
her more than once to caution her against
a man named McKeag, with whom he had
been informed she was keeping company
Penhollow told her she should keep away
from the man, as his only object in being
with her would be to ruin her. She adj
mitted she had met the fellow on several
occasions on the streets, and had stood
and talked with him as late as nine o'clock
Her mother had also demonstrated with
her on account of this fellow and had in.
tercepted letters he had sent her. She
knew that McKeag was a married man
She had not been with him since June.
The room in which the assault was
alleged to have taken place had door
with large pane of glass In it. There
was a curtain on the door but 1t was moi
pulled down. The room was on the second
floor of the school building. There are
generally several scholars in the building
at the noon recess, and she knew that. but
she did not scream or make any cutlery as
she was too much frightened. She merely
wept. When her mother asked her why
she was late she said she had been de-
tanned owing to not knowing some of hel
lessons. Mr.. Penhollow had told her tc
say that. The reason she did not tell hel
mother about the affair was because the
latter was going away and she did moi
want to worry her. While she was in the
Office the telephone bell rang, and while
she could not hear the questions she heard
Penhollow say: 'She is not here, she ha!
just gone" Hattie was in the room al
that time.
Mrs. Aaronson, mother of the girl, tolC
that Hattie was very punctual about get
ting home from school, but on the 18th of
October she was quite late. Mrs Aaron
sons mother and sister were at the house
and when Hattie went in it was noticed
that she looked frustrated and appeared tt
have been crying When asked what wa
the matter the girl replied that she hat
been in Professor Penhollow's room
which was quite warm, and it was wind,