Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-31
A JAIL-BIRD's DEBAUCH.
A Dastardly Attempt to Outrage 8
School GirI-The Terrific Strug-
gle In the Clutches OF
Lecherous Hyena.

Cincinnati Enquirer, Goth: Some ten years
ago low bred devil named Tom Boyd, a
barber by trade, chronic hummer and a
natural thief, while in Ripley county, lndi-
ana, committed horrible outrage upon a
little eight-year- old German girl, mutilating
her person in fendish manner, leaving her
nearer dead than alive. With the character
istic Indifference of such semi-brutes, he
made little effort TO escape justice, and was,
consequently, soon after apprehended. He
was tried in Jennings county, convicted, and
for term of ten long years locked up IN the
Jacksonville penitentiary. He was then only
twenty years old, but, young as he was, he
had been guilty Of ike offense before-one
even more aggravated-had sacked his wild
owed mothers premises, committed sew
eral other thefts, and, when ar
rested for his second rape, was I'M
before court. About SIX months since he was
released from the penitentlary, his term of
service having expired, when he came lmme-
diately to this city, and engaged to work for
some wheel mandatory. He remained only
short time, howovor, when he returned to
his old haunts in Moore's Hill, Dearborn
county, Indiana, located on the line of the
Ohio and Mississippi railway, thirty-niue
miles from Cincinnati. Here he established
himself in his old business of barbering and
cumming. The place is not far from the
scene of his early crime, in Ripley county,
and his record, therefore, being fresh IN the
memory of nearly all with whom he came In
contact, his welcome back to society was not
what might be regarded as cordial. He was
looked upon as an outcast; he was treated
with suspicion. For the past few weeks Miss
Matilda Stevens, daughter of we'll do
and very respectable farmer, living about
mile and half from Moore's Hill, has been
in attendance at the Methodist college, loca
ted In that place. She was accustomed
- H. - ox,I t1n
and evening, and in order to do so was
obliged to pass quite a dense thicket
which lies between the college and her home.
The thicket is only on one side of the road;
on the other the land is cleared. The spot is
a lonely one, though the road is frequented
by many travellers. Boyd had noticed Miss
Stevens as she appeared on the streets of the
village, and two weeks ago was known to
make some inquiries In regard to her home
and how she reached it, though he never VEN
tured to address the young lady herself. Miss
Stevens is blonde, rather slightly built, not
at all rugged, and is, withal, quite comely.
These facts appear to have been greedily APP
preciated by Boyd, and repeatedly remarked
upon. Last Friday evening as the young la
dy was vending her way homeward, and just
as she came opposite the woods referred to,
Boyd, who had been lying in wait, accosted
her with gross indecency, which was Indig-
nantly resented. Then the monster seized
HGT, pldCGu his Hdnu over ueT InOuGn anu pore
her about a hundred yards into the thicket.
Here desperate struggle ensued, one fight
ing to crafty hellish lust, the other to de-
fend life and honor. At every opportunity
Miss Stevens screamed for help, and for full
ten minutes prolonged the struggle. Though
choked to purple complexion; though her
clothing was torn into tatters; though a huge
knife was placed across her neck, and
she was told with oaths and impre-
cations that unless she ceased to
resist her throat would be cut from ear to
ear, and, though she was bruised and tor
tured by the brutal Boyd, she still refused.
At the end of about ten minutes the. sound
of some men at work a. few hundred yards
away caused the assailant to desist. Then
he sought to terrify his captive into silence.
He told her if she breathed a word concern
ing him, he would not only burn her fathers
dwelling and barns, and not only repeat his
outrage, but would end it by killing her. He
then released her. Once liberated from her
tormentor's clutches, she ran to her home,
informed her aged father, and fell exhausted.
1t was not till Saturday morning that any
effolts were made to place Boyd in custody.
Mr.. Stevens at that time appeared before
Squire Jones, of Moore's Hill, and requested
the issuance of a warrant. Jones refused 4
warrant, on the ground that the offense was
committed just over the Ripley county line,
and therefore outside of his jurisdiction
Then the father was compelled to proceed to
Squire Knapp, In Strlugtown, Ripley county,
where he procured the warrant. Again he
appeared before Jones, and requested his in
dorsement of the warrant, which request was
again mulshly refused, because it had not
the Endorsement of the county clerk Of Ripley
county. To Versailles, Ripley county, a trip !
then had to be made. Finally, after an al |
most criminal amount of red tape, the war |
rant was placed in the hands of a cowardly |
constable named Colston, as ignorant Of his |
duties as the squire. Armed with this war
rant, Colston searched Moore's Hill about |
dark Saturday night and found Boyd, reck- |
less OF apprehension, engaged with soap and |
razor IN his barber-shop. Instead OF serving |
the warrant Immediately, he thought It !
proper to wait until morning. Meanwhile |
he Is said to have betrayed his official bust |
ness to friend of Boyd, who in turn prompt |
ly informed the criminal. Sunday morning, |
Coiston says, when he went TO arrest Boyd, |
the bird had flown. The barber shop was |!
deserted. All this while the matter had been !
kept very quiet apd the people of Moore's |
Hill possessed scarcely any of the facts until !
Monday, and then their blood began to boil. |
Jones and Colston were cursed as imbeciles, |
were even accused of connivng to assist the |
guilty party to escape, and were informed |
that their prompt resignation would be ac- |
cepted. On account of Boyd the rage was /
terrible. Sedate and pious people announced |
their willingness to join a black-hag hunt
vigilance committee was yester-
day organized, and the determination
was loudly expressed TO hang the
fugitive as soon as captured. Night
before last a large meeting Of the citizens of
Moore's Hill and vicinity was held, when be-
tween one hundred and fifty and two hun
dred dollars was promptly raised to be used |
In Boyd's capture Besides this a liberal re- ]