The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-09-02

loving statement in reference to the
Bridgeport rape case is furnished Us BY a
prominent citizen OF that town;
THE girl, Camelia Sims, left her home
Saturday evening to attend the circus,
expecting to meet on the Island gentle
man from the Grant House Who vas to
be her escort. Not meeting him she
passed into the show and while there met
VIM. Alexander, ir., Of Bridgeport, whom
she asked to take her home. On the re-
turn home after crossing the bridge it
vas soon evident they we're followed by
a party of rOughs, with some evil inten-
ton. On reaching Clark's corner in Kirk
wood this party thrust Alexander aside
and assaulted the girl, choking her and
forribly carrying her away, Her screams
when frst assaulted we're heard BY q
number oil persons, some living a square
away, but as the cries quickly subsidized
nothing was thought Of it by the near
residents, and only next day did they
know dastardly outrage had been COM
milied on their streets.
1.-THE girl was pushed and dragged by
the lustiul tends down the railroad to the
vicinage Of the glass house, where, as no
one lives near, they could undisturbed ac-
complish their base designs. According
to the statement Of the girl she was here
forcibly violated by more than a dozen
persons. It soon became known in Bridge
port BY certain persoRs that a girl had been
carried down to the glass house and was
being made common property. Shame
full as il was, not one OF these persons
raised the alarm or notified the officers,
but instead two at least Of their number
went down, not like the cavaliers Of old
TO protect a defenceless woman, but to
participate in the diabolical outrage.
And worse and more shameful, one OF
these parties was q distant relation Of the
girl. About o'clock two Of the party
consented to bring the girl home, and this
was the 'gentlemanly treatment to the
girl spoken OF in your report yesterday
morning.
"When the outrage become known the
matter was quietly worked up by d. Q,
Crauston, Esq, and friend, which led on
Sabbath evening to the arrest Of Jas. St.
Clair and one OF the gentlemen, K
Porter. Warrants were also issued for
three other of the gentlemen, but 1t
seems they had about that time pressing
business elsewhere and have not yet been
arrested. Reuben Porter, when alraign.
ed, pleaded not guilty in a hesitating
manner, but after the girl had made her
statement he confessed 10 the dark crime
and gave the names Of all the guilty party
he knew.
"This confession was in evidence before
the examining court, and was also made
to the attorneys. When asked II the girl
resisted be said she was not able to make
resistance. It's too late now for the gen:
tleman or his friends to claim, as in your
report, that the girl did not object to the
liberties he had taken
AS for St. Clair, the girl identified and
described him as one ofIhe attacking par.
~; but in this as it was dark she may
have been mistaken. However, there
was sufficient evidence to hold him for
trial, and II is hoped for his sake he will
be able to establish his innocence more
clearly. In reference 10 the character Of
the girl, she may be the basest Of the
base, and still this is no less an outrage
against peace, order and dCcency.
But up to this time nothing whatever has
been adduced against the character OF the
girl. And though she may be humble
and obscure and without friends, sheis no
less entitled to the protection ofihe law.
The very fact that she is without inAuen.
tial friends is the greater reason why the
rgis Of the Law should he thrown
around her to protect her from such in
human monsters as attacked her on
Saturday night. And not only
to defend and protect her, but
every other woman, for we know
not how soon, in the present state Of So
ciety, unless these and other lustiul vii
lians are severely punished, they too may
he attacked on the streets and at our very
doors.
"The respectable citizens Of Bridgeport
are Justly indignant in regard to this out
rage and will spare no pains 10 ferret out
and bring to Justice the guilty parties.
There Ia firm determination 10 go to the
bottom in the investigation OF this out
rage, and II will not satisfy the demands
Of Justice to cry out, the woman Is as bad
as the men,, or that it ia generally be-
lieved' so and so, or that, forsooth, some
Of the accused are sO-calle'l gentle
men,"