Evening journal., 1912-05-29
MUCH MUCH ADO
OVER CHILD
witnesses Say Gertruds
WhltCraft Was Abused But
Judge Says Trouble Makers
TELLS WOMAN To ORDER
ARRESTS NEXT TINE

ARRESTS NEXT TIME
Judge Cochran. in City Court this
morning dismissed Mrs. Lydia Della
Bursler, of No. 1920 Lancaster avenue,
accused of cruelty to her niece. Ger
trude Whitcraft. In hearing the case,
which vas featured by the presence
or seventeen women, all witnesses,
Judge Cochran informed Assistant
City Solicitor John f. Lynn that he
had better take a few lessons after
court. The remark was directed to
Mr.. Lynn during the hearing of testi-
mony by Mrs. Arabella Bidwell, a sis
ter OF the defendant, who said Mrs.
Charles Farrell, a neighbor said she
would knock-abbreviatin the vul-
garity-out of the child. Mr.. Lynn
wanted to know what the abbrevation,
as well as several others used by the
woman meant, whereupon Judge
Cochran said he was trying the case
aRd knew.
william H. Greenwell. Of No. 1886
Lancaster avenue said the trouble
started six years ago but within the
past six months while the weather
was cold the child had been kept in
the yard He did not see the girl put
there, nor kept there and had never
seen the child struck.
Judge Cochran asked of Greenwell:
Who are you, what have you got to
do with it?" after Greenwell said he
was not related to the child
Mamie c. Harrigan, of No. 1905
Reed street, whose yard adjourns that
OF Mrs. Bursler, said that she saw
the woman abuse the child the day
following the circus The child was
thrown bodily about the yard, the
witness said. Miss Harrigan testified
TO other occasions when she Witness
ed the child being beaten.
Miss Harrigan, who speaks rapidly.
was reprimanded by the court and
when the witness said she meant no
olsrespect. Judge Cochran exclaimed
That's the way you were brought
up. Judge Cochran then asked the
witness her name and address which
he wrote down as well as the other
witnesses for the state.
Mrs. Annie Farrell of No. 1918 Ian
caster avenue. told of seeing the child
beaten and thrown against a building
In the yard. Mrs. 'Bursler in ques-
uoning the witness brought out that
there was bad feeling between the
women and the suit before a magis-
trate had resulted.
At this point Judge Cochran said to
Mr.. Lynn "The witnesses are not
very impressive"
Mr.. Lynn replied. Il cannot help
that they are the States witnesses" :"
Miss Oletha Hall, of No. 1901 Reed
street said she saw Mrs Bursler throw
the child about the yard and other
wise i'll treat it. The girl also testi-
fed that on the Monday following the
Saturday last winter when the whip
pings took place at the workhouse aud
the weather was cold, the child stood
out in the yard without any heavy gar
ments on. The other children, sisters
to the Whitcraft child, the witness SAID
we're treated we'll
Mrs. Mary Stewart, Of No. 1907 Reed
street, said she was nearly a nervous
wreck as the result of hearing the
Whitcraft child screaming.
Charles Farrell a neighbor, said
that on March 27 he came near jump
ing the fence to protect the child.
Farrell told of having Mr.. Stout come
10 his house and hearing the child
scream. Judge Cochran made a note
of Farrell's address and also the fact
that he was in business. Mrs. Bid
we'll. a sister of Mrs. Bursler, said the
child was headstrong and needed cor
recting, and Mrs Helen Dooley. OF
Philadelphia, grandmother of the
children said she knew the child was
headstrong and thought the girl should
be corrected. Mrs. Dooley said that
Mr.. and Mrs. Bursler were kind to the
child and in fact were like parents to
the three, which Mrs. Bursler has
kept since their mother died.
Mrs. Dooley asked the judge If he
did not think that people should mind
their own business but Judge Cochran
replied that he was not answering
questions
Patrolman Veasey was called by the
defense and told of taking the child Ia
school at the request of the defendant
He said he never heard of the woman
fll-treating the child. officer Flynn
told of being at the house once and
talking TO the child, who is about IA
JtdIo Ol4s dUOuA allNnu4n6 oNAAeOAs
Frank Stout, of the S. P. c. c., testi-
fed that within the past six years he
had received complaint from the resi-
dents about the alleged cruelty TO the
child and recently he had his clerk
examine the three children and nc
marks were found on them.
Mrs. Bursler then denied using ex-
treme force in correcting the chile
and said that the woman who agitatec
most of the trouble was not in court
Judge Cochran in dismissing the
case said the witnesses we're a med
dlesome set. and trouble makers and
as a friend of his had spoken to hin
about Mrs. Bursler he had given at
tention to the case Mrs. Bursler was
informed by the court to have the
neighbors arrested if they cursed hel
or otherwise annoyed her.
WILBUR WRIGHT LIVES.