Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-10
A HORRIBLE CRIME.
Rape Of a Ten Year Old Girl
Upon the Open Prairie by a
Black Monster.
The Father of the Outraged Girl
Shoots the Prisoner In a
Court Of Justice.

mitted one Of those heinous crimes against
which not only the moral sentiment Of u
community %revolts, but which touches the
susceptibilities of the grosser element, aud
arrays alike the law abiding and those who
look lightly upon ordinary oftenses in right.
eous indignation against it's perpetrator. It
was about that hour in the afternoon that
little Annie Norman. a child Of ten years,
was going from Sunday school to her home,
a mile or two west Of the city limits. She
had travelled the same road alone on many
previous occasions without thought that
harm could CON to her, but the experiences
Of yesterday afternoon have rudcly dlspelled
her consciousness Of security, and when she
again passes that way the recollection of her
horrible experiences will attend her as a
phantom of fear from which her young
childhood annot escape. 1t was alone out
Upon the prairie that she met Lank Cain
alias Lark Patterson, Il negro, some seven
teen years of age. He was riding a horse
which he had taken surrepti,iously from the
stable Of Bray & Fletcher The girls help.
less condition and the devilish promp1ings
Of his animal nature Induced him to take
advantage OF tae opportunity offered. He
dismounted aud brutality assaulted her. He
speedily overcame her feeble resistance and
accomplished his vile purpose. At this
%iuncture Judge Brisbine drove tina way,
coming from his farm To town. Before he
reached the scene Of the outrage the negro
discovered his approach, mounted his horse
and t1td into the city, The Judge stopred
and questioned the Guild sutti GENTLY to as
certain tue euormity of the crime which had
been perpetrA'od aud then, after ins,ructing
the little victim To % home and Inform her
mother OF the horrible affair, he fastened
on TO town and laid the case before the
authorities. Marshal Bates Immediately pro-
cured a warrant and proceeded to the resi-
dence Of George Wilcox, on the
corner Of Second and Cedar streets, with
whom the young william was living. After
encounteriug many difficulties and meet.
ing with considerable resistance from Pat.
terson Marshal Bates. succeeded In arrestiug
his man and conveying him to Jail. This
was about dark in the evening. After Pat
terson was secure the marshal and other
parties visited the residence Of Mr.. Norman.
The girl had not told her mother the full
story Of her wrongs, being deferred there
from BY the natural delicacy of a child, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Norman did not know the
worst until the intelligence was impaired
to them by the officers. An examination
was then made which fully confirmed the
report of Judge Brisbine and established
the fact that the outrage had been commit
ted. The girl had told her mother that she
had met the negro and that he had taken
hold Of her roughly, but had not gone into
the details OF the horrible outrage sufE-
GENTLY to give Mrs. Norman any suspicion
of the disgusting truth. If any feeling Of
qualification can come out Of an affair Of
this sort it is that the promptness Of Judge
Brisbine and Marshal Bates has placed this
monster where he will meet full punish
ment for his unnatural crime. The statutes
prescribe ten years imprisonment as the
full penalty for rape in the first degree,
which is rape upon a person under ten
years of age. Rape in the second degree
is in cases where the person assaulted is
over ten years Of age. We can conceive OF
no crime which calls for more severe pun.
ishment than this. 1t is an outrage upon
an individual, an outrage upon public sen
timent and a menace 10 the community.
When the innocent and helpless children
who walk our streets are subjected to the
degradation of an assault of this nature
there is no safety until all human animals
are made to fear the consequences of their
lustful acts.
SUBSEQUENT PROCEEDINGS
At two o'clock this afternoon the prison.
er was brought TO the Office Of Justice Rob.
erts for examination under q charge of rape
There was a crowd outside. The prison.
er sat with his counsel at a table and con-
fronting him was the little girl upon whom
the outrage was committed. In the room
were Sheriff Baker and two of his deputies.
Just before proceedings were about TO com.
mence S. G. F. Norman, father of the out
ragged girl, pushed his way through the
middle of the rOom Addressing his
daughter he said sis this the ~nigger:" She
replied that it was. Before any Of the off,
GERS present could interfere, Nj. Norman
drew a short, large chambered
REVOLVER FROM HIS POCKET
and fired at the prisoners head. Just before
the weapon was discharged Oliver Shannon,
who was sitting at the table. struck it down
and this movement diverted Mr.. Normsn's
aim and sent the ball through the left leg
Of the negro. The discharge of the revolver
was the signal for a general stampede
from the room. Court, witnesses,
lawyers and spectators were seized
with a sudden desire to breathe the outer air.