Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-19
The Ferriter Rape Case.
Officer Eaton Held ON n Charge of INDIE
cent AssauIt-The Charge of Rape
Broken Down.

cent AssRuIt-Ghe Charge of Rape
broken Down.
The case of Abraham P. Eaton, charged with
committing Il rape upon the person of Theresa
Ferriter, woman arrested for drunkenness Sat
urday night, while confined in cell awaiting
trial, was placed on trial in the central district
court yesterday, and kept the court in session
all day. T. L. Nelson, Esq. who appeared for
the government, stated the case substantially as
has been already published, and called up the
witnesses, whose testimony was principally as
follows:
Officer Sprague-Was on duty Saturday night;
in the office at IL O'Clock; went out to make an
arrest with Green Hewlett and Eaton; brought in
prisoner and saw him locked up; saw the woman
i'll one of the cells at the west end of the building;
there is passage leading round from the cell; went
to her cell during the night to carry some water;
did not Eaton there at that time; saw him when
1 turned to come away in the vicinity of her cell
Eaton asked who that woman was, and said that he
was going to see went to the cell, and he said,
"Get up, we want to see you;" she made some
movement, and we came away; there was a light
between the two cells just burning; stood talking
with the woman, and Eaton soon came back, un-
locked the cell door, and went into the CELL he sat
down with the girl and asked me to come in; went
in and sat down. Eaton was the door; the
woman moved close to me- saying that he don't be.
have himself, and i wish he would get out of the
way; was not in the cell but minute; came out
and left Eaton in the cell; went to another CELL and
while there heard the woman say get out of the way
two or three times: Eaton had evidently been
drinking; after leaving the neighboring cell went
back to the woman's and looked into the Window
saw the forms of man and q woman; they were
sitting down the same when | left them; told
Eaton to come out the captain would raise the
devil; did not see that anything was going on in
the cell went from there to another cell and heard
the cry of "Let me alone you will break my
back" went to the cell and found them sitting
dnNvn NVpn and hack in few minutes
heard her say you tearing my dress; told Eaton
to come out or le would be to pay; went and shut
a window, and Eaton came out of the cell; would
not say that his pants were unbuttoned; saw
Whitewash his coat; you can't go into of the
cells without getting whitewash on your clothes;
Eaton told the woman as he came out that he was
going and she said that she was glad of it; Eaton
then went out of the office, and returned the key
of the wooden door to its place; Eaton locked the
cell door and went into the lunch room to wash up
before he went out upon duty; did not see anything
else going on in the room.
Cross-examined- Brought in prisoner at 1914
O'Clock; went out upon my beat before l O'Clock;
Eaton was in and about the cell about thirty min
utes during all the time Eaton in the cell
was either in the cell or in the passage way; went
into the cell at Eatons request knew that neither
of us had any business IN the cell; should have
taken Eaton out if he had been attempting any
violence; the woman did not ask me to protect her;
there no one in the cell adjoining; shut the
window because l heard some one on the outside,
to prevent outsiders from knowing what was going
on inside; don't know where the captain was; am
not positive what cell the cries came from; they
were quiet whenever visited them, and com
plant was made to me; next saw him at Al O'Clock
in the morning.
Direct resumed-Did not see EatOn's hand upon
the woman's person; the gas was turned out while
1 was away from the cell, and at another time it
officer Ratigan-WaS in the office Sunday morn
ing; arrested woman who gave her name as
Catherine Hunt; she was so drunk that she could
not walk alone; brought her in little before u
O'clock the woman was booked and locked up;
hung the key up and went back upon my beat; be-
fore leaving turned the gas completely out.
CrOss-eXamined-A man stopped me and said that
there was woman on the street who stopped him
and wanted him to go with her; know nothing
about the Womans previous character sheiwas very
drunk when arrested.
Theresa Ferriter-Live near May street; was ar
rested last Saturday night and brought to the sta
ton house; after being locked in some one came
and unlocked the door to my cell can't say that it
was EatOn the man that came into my cell asked
me ii / did not come from st. Johns; / asked him
to call the officer and see if could not get out In
the morning SO that | could 20 home and get
breakfast; 1t was not over half an hour be-
tween the first time he came and the time he
went away; two men were in the cell at first; one
came In the second time and took up my clothes,
threw me on to the bench and committed the act
after which he went out and did not come back;
the man was evidently intoxicatedi he did not in
jure me in any manners during the evening took
three glasses of beer
Cross-examined- in the habit of drinking and
can give no account of myself during the whole of
the time during the past year; have been In the
house of correction three times since l came to
Worcester; the Saturday before was arrested
went to physician in this city for treatment for q
disease at the time was in the cell i was drunk
and eau not remember what was said; do not re-
member of there being two officers in my cell can't
say who 1t was that came in; the first time he
there he did not stop but two or three minutes be-
fore no went out; there was another man in the
vicinity but was not violated until the man who
was on the outside had gone away can't say how
long the man was in my cell Mt any one time; he
brought me cup Of water and then entered my cell
and committed the act; at the time he threw me
the bench / criqd ont for him tn Let me alone
and tried to get away; the man lea the cell after
committing the act.
Frank kelley-Was taken into the police Office
Saturday morning. and was there through the
nights heard woman cry to the captain and tell
some one 70 go away and not tear her clothes;
heard the noise for about five minutes; heard the
woman call for water, and saw Sprague carry come
water toward the cell; the man that carried the
water came back on til toe, and then two men
passed my cell, after which ! saw no one, 1t was
some time after the man passed with the water that
the noise was madei never saw Eaton until last
Monday morning.
Cross-examiued-S was the man who car.
ried the water and went away on tip-toe.
Capt. Howe-Remember when the woman was
brought in and that Sprague and Eaton were both
present; Eaton came from the cell room and went
Into the room where the keys kept; did not see
him come out of the cell ROOM he was In the pass
age leading to the room where the cells are; saw
Eaton come out of the cell room Immediately after
he and other officers had locked up a prisoner did
not see him again until he was in the passageway
leading to the coll room; did not hear any disturb
ance In the back room during the night there was
only one woman among the prisoners; do not know
that either Eaton or Sprague had key TO the back
room; did not see Sprague take down or hang up u
key; an officer might have taken the key without
my knowledge,
Cross-examned-Ther were number Of officers
In the office between twelve and one O'Clock;
Sprague may have been about the room but did
not notice himi did not see Eaton after the time
first spoken of there IL water closet leading from
the passage; did not see Eaton have any key; do
not think that the key that Eaton hung up was the
one TO the cell room door.
Direct resumed-After the woman was brought In
went into the cell room twice and the woman was
asleep; about two O'Clock | was in again and she
had turned around; In the morning she wanted
some water and made no complaint; the last time
went in the door was open. This closed the EVIL
deuce for the prosecution
=. Emory Aldrich, Esq, who appeared for the
defense, briefly opened the case, reviewing the
crime charged against the officer. The officer
has always had a good reputation and has
faithfully performed the duties of the position.
Now he is charged with committing very
grave offence in the police station, making Il
serious charge against one of the officers EN-
ployed for the protection Of the people Sprague
and Eaton were both wrong in entering the cell
ana thereby committed grave offence. Eaton
IS Drought before the court under very suspicious
circumstances, and the fact of his having entered
the cell. should be the cause Of bis receiving a