Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-02-03
WHIPPING CASE
HEARD SATURDAY
Large Number of Witnesses
Testify.-Hearing Behind
Closed Doors
Continued from Page II

ness, was then called to the witness
stand and sworn. She testified that
when Clarence got home from school
about 4 80 she learned that he had
been whipped; that the boy could not
sit on a chair because of the pain it
caused him; that she stood him on a
chair and partially addressed him and
that she found his back from the
shoulder blades down to his legs was
solid black and that his legs had black
and red marks down to his ankles. She
said that the boy could not lie down
or sit down without it hurting him;
that he stood up much of the time. The
boy said he had been punished for wet
ting his clothes in school. Mrs. Meyer
said she sent for Dr. Caldwell She
has not sent him to school since that
time because she was afraid to.
Denies Marking Child
On ross-examination Mrs. Meyer
said she had eight children living five
Of whom were at home. She denied
whipping the child the night before,
but that she had ScOlded him for the
offence that he had been punished at
school for; that last spring was the
last time she had whipped him and
then she used skate strap about two
feet long. She denied ever striking
one Of her children with a Stove-poker,
when Mr. McGill queried her on this
point She said she did not mark
Clarence when she whipped him with
the strap. She called in Mrs. Brown,
near neighbOr, she said, and then
went to see City Supt. Lewis about the
incident. When she returned home the
boy was lying on his stomach. She I'M
dressed him and put him to bed with
out any clothes on. Supt. Lewis came
to her house about s 40 the same even
ing and saw Clarence. Mr.. Streater,
school clerk, came the next afternoon.
She testified that she called up Miss
Lancer on the telephone. The teacher
replied that at Lur; her to have to whip
Clarence" and said she could not talk
about the matter over the telephone.
Mrs. Meyer said she then told Miss
Lancer what she thought of her.
Rings In Police Chief
Fred Meyer proprietor of the C0zy
cafe and brother of Clarence, testi-
fed that his little brothers back was
q mass of black marks and that there
were black and red marks on his
stomach. legs and neck &; that the pat
tern of the clothing he wore was left
in the flesh. Dr. Caldwell left an ONT
ment to be used on the childs wounds,
he said. After nine days the marks
we're still there, he said He also told
OF taking his little brother to Mr..
Falge's office and showing Mr.. Falge
the marks He testified that he had
been approached by the chief Of police
with the request not to push this case,
but that the chief would not say who
sent him. He denied that DR.. Cald-
we'll told him that he was making a
good deal of fuss about this
Mrs. Belle Kleinert, assistant teach
or in Miss Lanzer's room, was conS1d-
cred the "star witness" for the prose
cRtion, being the only eye witness to
the punishment.
She testified that the Meyer child
had committed the offence for which
he was punished quite a few times
Miss Lancer came to me and said
she thought Clarence ought TO be pun
ished What would you do The wit
ness said she did not advise punish
ment.
Supt. Callahan: Did you ever whip
a child?"
Answer: NO. | never did.
Mrs. Kleinert estimated the duration
of the punishment about % minutes
and in that time the teacher STRUCK
him about % times, as nearly as VIII
ness could estimate it. She sad that
the punishment took place in the CLOAK
room and that the child'S teacher had
required him to walk on his knees the
length of the cloak room twice. ohe
said that the punishment was lnlilc'eu
with the handle of toy broom anu
that Miss Lancer was hitting him as
ba came ont of the cloak room on
his hands and knees; that Clarence
cried aloud during the punishment ohe
indicated by a chair back spindle the
e;za of q broom handle used III the
whining. Witness quoted MISS Ian
1nr as saving. after the affair was
over. well, was in a frenzy. | kne"
was willful, but l had to be- WIZ
ness said the board asked her 10 say
nothing about the matter. MI False
told me the date of this meeting ano
that | should tell the truth and testl
fv with a clear conscience. she salo
she had not seen other children pun
isbod for the same offence.
DIR. Caldwell Called
Dr. Caldwell was called to the stah'
md testified that he was called TO SEE
O Mover child about p. M. me aoc
affidavit in the case, It was thei
reed upon, would stand as ms tes
ony. but the doctor was asked Tn
g question, II child is inclined I
o anaemic would that make any Oh
ference in marks showing on his hesh
THAT would make no difference. reple'
the doctor.
Worden Potter testified that he 1--we