The Petroleum Centre daily record. [volume] (Petroleum Center, Pa.) 1868-1873, 1873-08-01
Gold st l.p. m..ll6A
FOSlce RepOrt..AllegeA Al
tempt to Commit q RARE.

Erie, CORY, TitusvilIs, on City, Tiii-
oute, Tiouesta, and 10 fact nearly every
town 10 the region, hos came 10 Seesnsly for
rape or alleged rape case OF some kind.
aud finally case has bsen developed 10
Petroleum Centre, the details Of which
~ developed beiore the Court, " not
quite % disgusting % those reported from
Other towns era yet bad enough, sod show
that while toe Infamous deed wss not COM
mistsd 10 fact, the intention was probably
enof snsagh on the part Of The wretcb 10
human form who 10 accused OF IT,
Ysstsfdsy forenoon, about II O'Clock, Q
mao named William Smiok, who hss been
engaged for some time pest % the jsuitor Of
sobels Opsrn House, came down out Of the
hall 10 company With fsur little sirls, nsu-
ed Tsylo', Davis sud two daughssrs Of NJ.
Aueshslm, whose agss ere Dot over seven or
eight years Of sgs. Three Of the children
Immediately went % J. q. D. Taylor, faith
Or of the other child, and 10 . straightfors
ward ymsnner told him that The Smick bad
been taking imp,opor liberties with the
person OF the little girl. Taylor accused
Smick Of It, and ives met With Q deuial.-
The child did not speak to its father about
the affair but went home snd told its moth
or, and gave her penny which she said
Smick bad given her, telling her not 10 cay
anything about It, and slso promising 70
give her come candy. This 40 exasperatsd
tha mother that che Immediately went be-
fore Justice Reynolds and took out . war
rant foe The arrest Of the scoundrel. Depu.
ty Burns proceeded to the bOuse Of tho acs
cused, 90 Stevenson Hin, and made The
arrest during the sftsrnoou. Tue exsmin
alton was held before Justice Reynolds late
in ths afternoon. The children all to- titled
10 tho tao! that the miserable devil bad
taken improper liberties with the person o
tho innocent child. Their stories were to Id
il such Straightforward manner as 10 car
ry conviction 70 the minds OF those W ho
heard them that the brots was guilty, and
nsuy sud deep were the mutterad curses
~eo AhatcutCtiVub o80tuos soo uVuu III uu-
man shape Tho would thus seek to ruin 90
infant. The evidence, however, was no,
sulicient to hold the Sascal, and much
against his win Justice Reynolds was COM
peilrd',o discharge him.
Subsequently, our reporter iuterv iewed
M". Taylor, mother Of the child, and learn.
cd from her that this was not The frat time
the ch'id had came home and ropes I'D the
same story of indignities At the hands Of
this inhuman, monster. She also informed
us the child had mentioned the nemes nj
other children that Smick had taken liber-
ties with, and that che had frequently pun
ished the child severelyfor going to the hall
She told her story with tue tears 10 bel
eyes sXhib,tipg all the feelin 81 'Oi o mo the
while relating Il, and " ours reporter lis
tened to II, he could not help wishing I hs
q particular spot In the lower regions nigh
be se, apart especially Tor the benefit of Q
man, heaven help the mark, who would 30
far'lose bis manhood 40 to be guilty Of &c
base aud wicked On action.
As matter OF course the affair crestad g
great deaf OF excitsmsnt amoug our citizen,
aud threats Of tarring aud fsaihsring the