The Detroit times., 1911-01-30
VAN zILE TOUCHED
BY GIRLS STORY
May Not Prosecute Margaret Schwen-
der, Suspected Of Having Caused
Death of Baby Boy.

Whether Miss Margaret Schwendner,
II years old, is to be prosecuted on
charge of manslaughter. In connec-
ton with the death of her month-old-
baby boy, found dead In bed beside
the youthful mother, In a ward In the
Salvation Army Rescue home, No. 896
Fort-st. west, on Saturday, will not
be known until after the coroner's In
quest Coroner Burgess and Prosecu-
tor Van Zile had a conference on the
matter OF an inquest. Monday MORN
ing, and while II was decided to have
an inquiry, no date was set. In the
meantime Miss Schwendner will be de-
tanned by the police in the matron's
quarters in the Central station, where
she has been since Saturday.
"The case OF the young girl Is a
particularly sad one," said the prose
cutor to The Times. "She has made
statement TO a representative OF
my office and what she says, or at
least parts of her story, get on my
sympathies.
"She says that while she was out
watching night fire In Saginaw,
where her parents live, she was ac-
costed by a young man who asked
that he might see her home: that
when they approached dark spot In
the street the young man assaulted
her: that she was afterwards afraid
to tell her mother what had happen
ed. and that her condition did not be-
come known to her mother until a
few weeks before her coming to the
troit.
I'm regard to the baby's death, the
young mother said she let the child
fall from her lap while she was bath
ing him, on Friday morning, but that
she didn't know the little one was In
jured. She also admitted shaking the
child, Friday night. but said she did
It while angry with him. She denied
emphatically that she did anything
Intentionally TO cause the papy :
I'm view Of the circumstances, I
decided to place the facts before the
coroners jury before asking for any
warrant in the matter. II the jury de-
cides that the child was not injured
accidentally, then I suppose we shall
have to prosecute the girl on charge
CT manslaughter."
The prosecutor says the girl feels
the death of her baby keenly.
post-mortem examination showed
that the child's head was fractured
in two places. These injuries are
thought to have been caused by the
fall.
The girls father, Paul S. Schwend-
ner.. laborer, came to Detroit from
Saginaw, Monday afternoon, to see
her He said that ne was not aware
OF his daughters coming to Detroit
when she left home; otherwise he
would have kept her at home. He
suggested that she was not In her
right mind when she caused the death
Of her baby, II she really let II fall In.
tentionally, and says she had been act
ing peculiarly before leaving home. He
also related that his other three chill.
dren at home refused to SO to school,
Monday morning, because OF the shame
resulting from the case OF their SID
ter. Mr. Schwendner Is hitter against
the young man who betrayed his
daughter, saying he never came near
her after ill-using her.
The authorities have the name OF
the young man who Is said to have
made the assault on Miss Schwendner
ard they will investigate him. He Is
bookkeeper, 10 years old, and lives
in Saginaw. Detectives High and Lar
kins are working with the prosecutor
on the case.
A dispatch from Saginaw says that
Miss Schwendner tried twice to kill
herself before the birth Of her baby,
orce by taking poison and again by
trying to cut her throat with a butch.
er knife. Doctors saved her the first
time and on the second occasion her
mother took the knife from her be.
fore she had q chance to use Il