INHUMAN FATHER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1075, 27 July 1912, Page 4

INHUMAN FATHER.

GIRD BEATEN & CHAINED

A little Italian girl, Jennie Ramponi, sat in the big witness chair beside Magistrate Herrman in the Harlem Court the other day, and told how her father, William Ramponi, had beat her with a belt buckle until her back was a. mass of bruises, tied her to the washtub with a dog chain, tied her hands with clothes line, and then left her while he went to his work.

Jennie has kept house for her father in the flat at 314 East 108 street since her mother died, some time ago, and with her little brother, Antonio, rive years old, is left alone in the house all day. She scrubbed and washed, cooked and made the beds, and then was beaten.

A few days ago her father accused her of spending for candy part of 60 cents, which he had left for her to buy food with. He dragged Jennie out of bed early in the morning, and made her get the breakfast. Then he beat her with a belt buckle, unmindful of, her screams, and left her chained to the tubs and with her hands tied so that she could not free herself. With the help of Antonio, Jennie managed to wriggle loose, and then went down the fire escape to the flat of a neighbour of whom she asked shelter. She did not dare to go back to her father’s flat.

The neighbour called up the Children’s Society, and Jennie and Antonio were taken down there. The lather was arrested, and arraigned before Magistrate Herrman in the Harlem Court. When the case came up for examination, after Jennie had told her story and other evidence was presented, Magistrate Herman held the father in 500 dollars bail for trial in Special Session. As he could not give bail, he was sent to the Tombs.