Harrison A. Hartman

Harrison A. Hartman trial

Transcribed by P.J. Grewell

Hugh West & Harrison Hartman

Photo courtesy of Clayton Harriger

4 April 1939 Ada Evening News, Ada, OK

CHARGES BEATING COST SON'S LIFE

Whipping Blamed by Father for Death of Boy

CLARION, Pa., April 4 - A coal mine motorman today charged the death of his 10-year-old son resulted from a whipping given him by a grammar school supervising principal for throwing jelly beans at girls.

Homer Wiser accused Harrison A. Hartman, 37-year-old-taecher at nearby Sligo, of punishing his son Robert, a fifth-grade pupil, and two other boys with a flooring board last March 17.

He filed charges of aggravated assault and battery, voluntary and involuntary manslaughter against Hartman. The principal refused to discuss the case and posted $3,000 bond pending hearing April 14.

Sheriff Mervin O. McKinley reported young Wiser died March 23 in an ambulance on his way to a hospital. He said the boy had suffered from a diabetic condition.

Coroner R.W. Moore said he knew nothing about the death until after burial. The physician who treated the boy refused to comment as did Sligo school board members.

4/4/1939 Helena Independent, Helena, MT

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL HELD WHEN PUPIL HE WHIPPED DIES

Clarion, Pa., April 9 - The supervising principal of the nearby Sligo grammar school was held today for a hearing in connection with the death of a 10-year-old-pupil he aws accused of whipping.

Homer Wiser, motorman in the Cherry Run Coal company mine, filed charges of aggravated assault and battery and involuntary manslaughter against the teacher, Harrison A. Hartman, 37.

The father said his son, Robert, a fifth grade pupil, and two other boys were whipped with a flooring board March 17 by Hartman, who accused them of throwing jelly beans in and about the school.

Sheriff Marvin O. McKinley, who arrested the teacher, said young Wiser died March 23 in an ambulance en route to a Pittsburgh hospital. He said the boy had suffered from a diabetic condition.

Hartman posted $3,000 bond when arraigned before Judge Harry M. Rimer, who set April 14 for his hearing before a justice of the peace. He refused to comment on the case.

Members of the Sligo school board and the physician who treated the boy all refused to comment.

4 April 1939 Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, WI

CHARGES SON'S DEATH DUE TO WHIPPING BY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Clarion, Pa., April 4 - A coal mine motorman today charged the death of his 10-year-old son resulted from a whipping given him by a grammar school supervising pincipal for throwing jellybeans at girls.

Homer Wiser accused Harrison A. Hartman, 37-year-old teacher at nearby Sligo, of punishing his son, Robert, a fifth-grade pupil, and two other boys with a flooring board March 17.

He filed charges of aggravated assault and batter, voluntary and involuntary manslaughter against Hartman. The principal refused to discuss the case and posted $3,000 bond pending hearing April 14.

Sheriff Mervin O. McKinley reported young Wiser died on March 23 in an ambulance on his way to a hospital at Pittsburgh. He said the boy had suffered from a diabetic condition.

6 April 1939 Nevada State Journal, Reno, NV

SPANKING FATAL TO BOY OF 10

PRINCIPAL DENIES HE USED PLANK

CLARION, Pa., April 6 - Harrison A. Hartman, country school principal at Sligo, near here, denied Wednesday that he used a length of flooring plank to whip 10-year-old Robert Wiser, who died in a "diabetic coma" six days after he was punished, according to his death certificate.

The youth and two other pupils were punished by Hartman on March 17, when he caught them throwing jelly beans against school windows. Robert became ill the following day and died March 23 while en route to a Pittsburgh hospital in an ambulance.

Hartman said that "an attempt" is being made to make a mountain out of a molehill" and added that he never had been advised Robert suffered a diabetic condition.

"I used a regular paddle - half an inch thick, three inches wide, and 28 inches long," said Hartman in denial that he used a floor board.

Homer Wiser and his wife, parents of Robert, have charged Hartman with assault and battery and manslaughter. The principal is free on $3,000 bond pending a hearing April 14.

7 April 1939 Hammond Times, Hammond, IN

ACCUSE PRINCIPAL IN BOY'S DEATH

Charged with aggravated assault and battery and voluntary and involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of a pupil he is accused of whipping, Harrison A. Hartman, supervising principal at Sligo, Pa., grammar school, was held at Clarion, Pa., under $3,000 bond. The charges were filed by Homer Wiser, Cherry Run coal miner and father of Robert Wiser, 10, whom Hartman is accused of beating with a flooring board for an infraction of school rules. Sheriff Mervin O. McKinley said the Wiser boy suffered from a diabetic condition.

15 April 1939 Charleston Gazette

TEACHER IS HELD IN PUPIL'S DEATH

ASSAULT, MANSLAUGHTER ARE CHARGED AFTER CHILD IS BEATEN

CLARION, Pa., April 14 - The supervisor of the nearby Sligo school was held today for the grand jury after a physician testified a 10-year old student who had been whipped died of diabetic coma induced by shock.

The 37-year old bespectacled teacher, Harrison A. Hartman, did not testify at the magistrate's hearing on the charges of assault and manslaughter. He sat silently during the testimony of five witnesses and then returned to the school, after arranging renewal of his $3,000 bond.

Dr. Ray V. Erickson, a member of the Sligo school board, and the physician who attended Robert Wiser before his death March 23, said he found the boy semi-conscious three days after the whipping on March 17.

The boy's mother, Mrs. Homer Wiser, testified she found black marks on the upper part of the boy's legs.

16 May 1939 Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune

INDICT PRINCIPAL IN DEATH OF STUDENT

Clarion, Pa., May 16 - A grand jury today indicted Harrison A. Hartman, 37-year-old school principal of nearby Sligo, on charges of aggravated assault and battery in the death of a student who had been whipped.

The jury disregarded charges of voluntary and involuntary manslaughter on which the schoolmaster had been held for court action by a justice of the peace.

Dr. Ray Erickson testified at a preliminary hearing that 10-year-old Robert Wiser died March 23, six days after the whipping, of a diabetic coma induced by shock and violence.

30 August 1939 Reno Evening Gazette, Reno, NV

SCHOOL TEACHER GOES ON TRIAL

CLARION, Pa., Aug. 30 - The commonwealth today tried Schoolmaster Harrison A. Hartman on aggravated assault and battery charges in the whipping of a 10-year-old pupil who later died.

Mine foreman Homer Wiser filed information against the 37-year-old Sligo school principal following the death of his son Robert from what Dr. Ray Erickson said was a diabetic coma induced by violence and shock.

Dick Greenawalt and Ronald Wilson, 11-year-old companions of Robert, testified the bespectacled Hartman whipped the three with a flooring board last March for throwing jelly beans. Young Wiser died five days later while being carried to a Pittsburgh hospital.

Mrs. Wiser said she saw marks across her son's legs and that he complained of pain and appeared very nervous. Dr. Erickson told a jury hearing the trial that he treated the boy for diabetes for some time prior to the whipping and that the parents did not call his attention to the injuries or give the history of them until several days later.

"I am going to vindicate myself in the fact of the many fabrications against me," Hartman declared following filing of charges against him."

31 August 1939 Ogden Standard Examiner, Ogden, UT

TEACHER TRIED AS PUPIL DIES AFTER WHIPPING

SCHOOLMASTER ACCUSED OF ASSAULT AND BATTERY BY FATHER

CLARION, Pa., Aug. 31 - Schoolmaster Harrison A. Hartman placed in the hands of a jury today his plea for "vindication in the face of the many fabrications against me" in connection with the whipping of a 10-year-old pupil who later died.

He is being tried on misdemeanor assault and battery charges filed by Mine Foreman Homer Wiser in the death of his son, Robert. Only the judge's charge remained today before the jury begins deliberations.

Testifying in his own defense, the 37-year-old Sligo school principal said he whacked the boy and two companions six or eight strokes with a light paddle for throwing stones at school windows last March. He asserted the pupils received the whipping standing up and that Robert didn't cry.

The Wiser boy died five days later from what prosecution witnesses said was a diabetic coma induced by violence and shock. Hartman told the jury he had no knowledge that Robert was suffering from a diabetic condition.

Walter Slaughenhaupt, Sligo school teacher, testified that he witnessed the spanking and that it was "very moderate."

31 August 1939 Ada Evening News, Ada, OK

SCHOOLMASTER IN DEFENSE TO JURY

WITNESS SAYS SPANKING MODERATE, DOCTOR ON HIS SIDE

CLARION, Pa., August 31 - Schoolmaster Harrison A. Hartman placed in the hands of a jury today his plea for "vindication in the face of the many fabrications against me" in connection with the whipping of a 10-year-old pupil who later died.

Walter Slaughenhaupt, Sligo school teacher, testified that he witnessed the spanking and that it was "very moderate." Dr. H.M. Wellman of nearby St. Petersburg, a diabetic specialist, said in his opinion the punishment could not have caused death. He added that death attributable to shock in the case of a diabetic would come within 10 minutes.

Oil Station Attendant Vern Everhart told the court that on the day after the spanking, he heard Robert say, "Aw that didn't hurt me a bit."

1 Sept 1939 Gettysburg Times

SCHOOL TEACHER CLEARED IN DEATH OF BOY, 10

Clarion, Pa., Sept. 1 - Schoolmaster Harrison A. Hartman said today he felt that his acquittal in the whipping of a boy who later died had established precedent between teacher and pupil "that will benefit greatly the teaching profession."

The 37-year-old Sligo principal announced his intention of returning to his school next week and declared in a statement that he had "from the beginning of this trouble lived with a clear conscience."

After three-hours and 15 minutes deliberation a jury Thursday cleared the principal of assault and battery charges filed by mine foreman Homer Wiser following the death of his 10-year-old son, Robert.

7 Sept 1939 McKean County Democrat, Smethport, Pa.

PRINCIPAL RELEASED

Acquitted of Causing Death of Clarion Boy by Whipping

Clarion, Pa. August 31 - School principal Harrison A. Hartman, 37, of Sligo, was acquitted by a jury today of assault and battery charges in connection with the whipping of a 10-year-old pupil who subsequently died.

Hartman testified in his own defense that he spanked the boy, Robert Wiser, and two companions for throwing stones at school windows last March.

The Weiser boy died five days after the "paddle-spanking." Prosecution witnesses testified the cause of death was a diabetic coma induced by violence and shock.

Dr. H.M. Wellman of nearby St. Petersburg, a diabetic specialist who appeared for the defense, claimed, however, that death attributable to shock in the case of a diabetic would occur within 10 minutes.

He told the jury his opinion was that the whipping did not cause the death.

Hartman said he did not know the boy suffered from diabetes.

Walter Slaughenhaupt, a teacher in the school, said he witnessed the spanking and "it was very moderate."

The charge against the principal was brought by Homer Wiser, a mine foreman, father of the boy.

WHIPPING FATAL?

His father charges the death of Robert Wiser, 10, (above) resulted from a whipping by Schoolmaster Harrison A. Hartman. Homer Wiser, the father, contended the boy was whipped with a flooring board because he threw jelly beans.

HELD IN LAD'S DEATH

H.A. Hartman, 37, (above) Sligo, Pa., teacher was accused of aggravated assault and battery and involuntary manslaughter, following the death of a student, Robert Wiser. The boy's father asserted the youth had been whipped.

26 April 1939 Salamanca, NY Republican Press