Weekly News. — 1892-09-08 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SAO STORY.  mother, woman broughtralrrnl A girl of 13 years of age, named Clara Wernicke, , has just been condemned by the criminal court at Berlin to three years and three days' imnprisonment an c.:eh'sl selod:rheeanrid:htptei eeil sencmil: Clara nnlatm aobmuof svoeerdefor theft and murder. Her story, as elicited by the examination, is as follows: She was the daughter yeeddt tnaoht into her hvamete of a house painter who, aft...r the death of het keeper since the decease of his first wife. This Herrmann. The stepmother very soon began to bbeeehnavceoncdruemel mentioned and two other girls. She had formerly bad conduct, and now ill-treated the children. The father had no authority over his wife, and often suffered a beating himself. The children were sent out to beg by time mother, and the oldest d.lughter, Elizabeth, was particularly ill-treated, because she was too weak to go out collecti, g rags, as the stepmother wished. Clara Wernicke was accused of having stolen 93 pfennigs, and, on the 15th May last of having pushed her step-brother into the water and drowned him. On being questioned by the President, she said: "On the 15th May, my sister Lischen, Herrmann, Malwine Erffinann, and I wanted to go to Sunday-school. On the way Lischen said I won't go home again. Mother has beaten me again with the tongs.' My little brother said he also would not go home, and I said so too, and then my sister said we would all drown ourselves, but before that we would ride on the roundabout in the Hasenheide. We went there and looked at the booths, and went away at 9 o'clock in the evening. When we came to the Kottbuser Bridge, we went along the bank of the river, and Herrmann said Now WO will jump in. You can push me in first, but you must be sure to jump ia too.' So I lifted him up, while Malwine Erdmann helped me, and then I let him loose, and he fell into the water. He caned out, 'Clara,' and I tried to catch him, hut I could not, and then I got a great fright. Then I went home with my sister and Malwine Ersimann. The next morning mother asked where Herrmann was, and I said I didn't know. Then I was taken to the police-office because of the 93 pfennige, and then Malwine told all about Herrmann." 31 mlwine Erdmann nine years old, then gave her evidence. She sea: "While we were at time Hesenheide Clara said, 'We will all four drown ourselves. Then we shall go into Paradise and get such a beautiful bed and such good food, and be again with my good mother.' But I said I would not die, and little Herrmann said nothing. When we came to the liottbuser Bridge it was dark,and Clara lid us a few steps to the right, and then I helped her to lift little Herrmann over the low railing, and she threw aim into the water. He called out, 'Clara, h, 1p me, I want to get out!' But Clara only said, 'I won't aelp you, tor you always tell tales about us.' Then we ought to have taken our turn and be thrown into the water, but we ran away and went home ;Nether." Elle Wernicke, likewise nine years old, was questioned, and said: "We wanted to drown Purselves, all four. Mother al '.s treated us so Padly ; she beat us and starved us. We had to go Pegging every day's- and if we brought home less than a mark we were beaten. Malwine wanted to ie with u 2, , s and Herrmann also said he would ' rather go to I aradise. President, in summing ap, said there was no doubt that the accused, d though only 13 years of age, had committed the srime with intention. She was much to be pitied, slid the stepmother was morally guilty of the deed ay her cruel treatment of the child. In consideration I pf this fact and her tender year& the a. zi flvia 3011CIELIMed to the le-R.- po.sitde pmmnishmek.s.