Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-25
A COMICAL RAPE.
A Young Lady Just from Tennessee
Charges IA Young Man with the
same The Statement of
Both Sides.

Louisville Courier Journal of Friday:
'Walter Clemens, twenty years old, was ar
rested yesterday and locked up In jall by
Officer Brophy upon a warrant sworn out by
Mrs. Jones, charging him with violating
the person of her sister, Florence Myers
girl said to be but fourteen years of age.
Clemons has been employed for some time
past as laborer upon the traasfer platform of
the Louisville and Nashville railroad COM
pany, and is spoken of as rather decent
young man. C0urierJouTndl reporter
called upon him yesterday afternoon at the
jail, and found him quite willing to talk.
He says, In regard to the charge preferred
against him, that night before last he met
Florence Myers at the corner of Sixteenth
and Maple streets, and with her consent
walked by her side for a short distance, and
finally made indecent proposals to her,
which she rejected, but not in a very severe
manner. At last he walked back to the
commons at Sixteenth and Maple streets
with her and sat down on the grass, she sit
ting by his side. Here he INDUCED In many
pleasant caresses, and finally succeeded in
obtaining her consent to his improper pro-
posals; and attempted without effect to ac-
compLsh his design. He afterward took her
to Josie Synder's house, on Twelfth street,
between Broadway and Maple, and from
thence home to her sisters, Mrs. Jones's, on
Fifteenth street, near Lexington. Here he
left her standing at the gate, talking to Mrs.
Jones and Carrie Snyder. Clemens says he
never knew the girl until last tuesday night,
and if she had not have given him sufficient
reason to believe that she was not overly
pure minded he would never have attempted
what he did on the succeeding night. After
leaving the Jail the reporter interviewed the
physician who yesterday morning examined
the girls person. That gentleman was 10th
to think she had been raped. He said that
though some one had had improper inter-
course with her, there was nothing to in
dictate a violent rape, as she alleged
young Clemens committed upon her. There
was no liberation whatever, and very
little infla0mation. The medical man
seemed to doubt the whole tale, but advised
the reporter to see Mrs. Jones, the sister
of the girl, and find out what she had to say
IN the matter. This advice the newspaper
man proceeded to carry out by knocking at
the door of No. 374 Fifteenth street, which
was opened by Mrs. Jones in 0r0priG persona,
who informed him In a shrill, high-pitched
voice that she was the prosecutor in the
case, and didn't 'perpose' to have it in the
papers; consequently her lips were sealed ex-
cept as to the interesting information tIat
Miss Myers, who, to the eyes of the Courier
Journalist, filed to a certain extent Dick
ens's character of Miss Betsy Trotwood'
chat is, the same rounded limbs and tapering
form were hers) was her sister, that she
lived in Tennessee, and was simply on a short
visit to Louisville. Miss Myers is about five
feet seven inches tall, has an expressionless
face, and a very unsophisticated air, some
thing like, if you want to kiss me you gotta
coax me. She says that she was going to the
pump after water, when Clemens pursued
and committed the assault upon her. The
case will be called this morning In the city
court