Morris tribune., 1881-11-10
AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
4 Serious Charge Against Michael Keegan.


Yesterday morning young girl, almost
a child, through her father, made com
plant and swore out warrant against
a young man named Michael Keegan,
charging him with an assault with intent
to commit rape" The child upon whose
person the alleged assault was made, is
Louisa Grassman, an eleven year old
daughter of Charles Grassman, who re
sides, as does all the parties in this case, in
the town of Synness, in the south part OF
the Stevens county. The girl, who is large
of her age, states as follows: Keegan, she
alleges has been a neighbor and acquaint
auce of the family for some time past, and
has been in the habit of frequently stop
ping at the house while passing to and
from town. On occasions when the girls
parents were absent from home, she
asserts that Keegan has taken unwar
rantable familiarties with her, holding
her on his knees, kissing and hugging her.
but meyer taking further liberties until
on Monday, October Gath, when he en-
tered the house-having previously ascer
tanned that her parents were absent-and
catching her up in his arms carried her to
bed and endeavored to commit name
less crime. The girl who is, 40 already
stated, large and we'll developed for her
age, made determined fight, and but for
dog that was attracted by her cries, and
who sliced her assailant by the leg witha
force sufficient to compel him to desist
in his infamous purpose, she fears the hell
ish crime would have been perpetrated, rs
her strength was fast falling her. The
child's clothing was almost stripped from
her person in the struggle and she was
completely exhausted after her desperate
battle for honor She kept all knowledge
of the affair from her mother for several
days, and her mother, on learning
of it, also kept it a secret
from the father, fearing if she told him
that in his just wrath he might take the
law into his own hands and wreck vengence
Oh the person of the would be ravisher, and
also dreading exposure. Keegan again
made second visit to CHEESEMAN'S but the
child, who was alone, saw him coming
and closed the doors. The girl further
states that on his arriving at the house and
finding the doors shut he attempted to
force an entrance into the window and
failing in this went away. 1t was not un-
til the occasion of the second visit that the
father was told of the affair and he prompt
ly lodged complaint with the county at
torney.
Deputy sheriff Mccullough, armed
with Il warrant, WAS sent in search of Kee-
gan, who, it was learned, was making
arrangements to leave lie was, unfortu-
nately, little too late, as the fellow had
got wind of his proposed arrest and was
not to be found, although it was surmised
ne was not far off. Up to the time of our
going to press. diligent search on the part
of the officers failed to find his whereabouts,
but the offense is such grave one that
neither tile officers nor the public will rest
until he is run down. Keegan by running
away places himself in guilty light and
leaves little doubt of the truth of the
charges which brand him with stain of
infamy which renders it imperative that he
be not left at large.
The girl and her parents indiscreetly men,
toned the institution of legal proceedings,
which coming to Keegan's ears gave him
time to get away before he could be cap
tured.