Clan William: Scandal Sheet: Fred Gentholtz, Rape Trial

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson >  Marietta Munson > Fred Gentholtz

My 4th great grandfather, Freeman Munson and his wife Margaret Gregory's second daughter, Marietta "Mary" Munson, was born 20 May 1821 in Trumbull County, Ohio. She married Jacob "Jack" Gentholtz in 1840 in Trumbull County. Jack was a German from Baden-Wurttemberg who emigrated in 1831. Together, they had at least eight children. Among those, was Fred. The children had frequently used the spelling of "Gentholts" and many of them formally adopted that spelling. Records may be in either spelling.

Jacob Friederich "Fred" was born in about 1860. In 1880, Fred, at 22, was working as a blacksmith in Youngstown in Mahoning County. On 02 Feb 1884, he married a young woman named Jennie Iley, who had been working as a servant in Youngstown. Fred became well-known in the community for his smithy skills and life looked very promising for the young couple. In 1892, this would change dramatically.

Younqstown, Aug. 1 Special. Fred Gentboltz, a well-known blacksmith, was arrested to-day charged with assaulting his niece. Miss .Nellie Clark, aged 15. On July 4 the girl came here from Cleveland, where she had lived for 12 years with Mr. and Mrs. Burson (ed note: her mother and stepfather), as she claimed she was not treated properly. Two weeks later Mrs. Gentholtz left to visit friends out .of the city, and on the Saturday evening after she departed Gentholtz came home intoxicated. The injured girl related the story of tbe assault to her cousin, and by advice kept quiet until to-day, when Mrs. Gentholtz returned and hearing or the affair had the uncle arrested. The victim relates a very straight story or the treatment she received. The case was this afternoon placed in the bands of the prosecuting attorney.
August 2, 1892
Pittsburgh Dispatch from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Page 8

It took until late October for the case to come to trial. The last report was the day before testimony wrapped up and this was the final report available in various online news archives:

In court this afternoon, the case of Ohio against Fred Gentholtz, indicted for raping a 15-year-old girl named Margaret Clark was begun before Judge Johnston and a jury. The girl lived with Mr & Mrs Gentholtz and while Mrs Gentholtz was away attending a sick relative, the girl alleges that Mr Gentholtz assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she told it. The girl is a remarkably bright girl, 15 years of age. She is pretty too. The court room was crowded all day. The testimony will be finished tomorrow.
Date: Friday, October 28, 1892   Paper: Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio)   Page: 2  

Then, it was announced that his attorney would ask for a retrial and call into question the morals of the girl. The retrial was granted and Fred ended up walking away with a fine.

Frederick Gentholts, convicted of criminal assault upon his niece, Margaret Clark, alias Nellie Burson, aged 15, of Cleveland, was granted a new trial today on the ground that she had not testified correctly regarding her conduct with a young man residing here. The State accepted a plea of guilty of assault and Gentholts was fined $50 and the costs, which will amount to $200.
Cleveland Leader, Thurs Dec 08, 1892 Cleveland, Ohio

The next thing that happened is his wife divorced him.

Mrs Jennie Gentholtz today began suit for divorce from her husband, Fred Gentholtz. Her petition stated that during her absence last summer, committed adultery and rape upon Nellie Clark, a 14-year-old girl who was staying with their family. She also asks for alimony.
Youngstown News Notes. Tanner, the Carbon Murderer, on the Way Back Home
Date: Sunday, December 25, 1892   Paper: Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio)   Page: 2
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Young Nellie was returned to the home of her stepfather, William P. Burson in Cleveland immediately after the trial.

Jennie married Mr. Theodore Chevalier.  Jennie died in 1917, at age 44, in a tragic accident - her clothes were set on fire from the ash of the pipe she was smoking.

Zelma, the cousin who was told about the rape, and the daughter of the Gentholtz union, born in 1887, could be found in 1900 living in a Children's Home in Howland Township in Mahoning County. She married three times and died in 1958. Son James Jacob Gentholtz changed his name to Iley and was adopted by Jennie's relative William Iley and his wife Susana. He was born 28 Jul 1890 and died 11 Jan 1968 in Arlington, Virginia.

The next time I can locate Fred it's 1910 and he's working as laborer in Warren, Ohio. He lived a long life, living with his daughter Zelma in 1930 and with his grandson James in 1940 in Washington DC, and died in 1949.

Jennie Iley Gentholtz Chevalier death certificate