Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-24
A HORRIBLE OUTRAGE.
-Four Rufians Assault aHalf Nittsd
Girl


A sad Sunday scene was that enacted
lust across the river, yesterday, Wnen
four brutss waylaid and outraged q nan
witted girl. only fourteen years Q,
age. The story is horrible one Is IL ieii
from the girls own lips in the presence OF
a REGrsrEs reporter, sent over to gather
the particulars. The girl Maggie ACono-
way. aged fourteen years, daughter OF silas
McConowsy, . laborer, who lives near the
Buckeye glass works, below Bridgeport
The unfortunate girl Is Of unsound mind
and her narrative was more or less dis
iointed. but By piecing it out with the
knowledge OF others, the story was com
plete.
THE GIRLS STORY.
About II O'Clock yesterday morning
while her mother was preparing dinner
Maggie started out for q walk down the
railroad track and passed through West
Wheeling and nearly to Whisky Run. On
her return she saw four men sitting en- the
track, one Of whom approached her and
endesyoTed to persuade her to accompany
him TO the hillside. She refused and tried
10 escape, but he seized her and, joined by
his three companions, dragged her up the
hill. The quartette Of infamous brutes
took her 10 clump of pawpaw bushes
where they were screened from the OBJ
seryation of passers-by and then,
in spite OF her screams and strug'
giles, repeatedly outraged her. She
baltled as best she could, until her strength
was quite gone and she lay in a semi
unconscious condition. Her clothing was
torn in several places and her body was
terribly bruised and lacerated- The four
men kept her there for three hours, paying
no heed 10 the screams she gave at inter
walls, one always keeping watch. About 8
o'clock her cries attracted the attention OF
man passing along the track and he went
up to investigate The ruffians fled and
he found her there alone. He assisted her
down the bill and to the river, where she
bathed her face and arranged her disor'
dered dress, after which he conducted her
up the track to her home.
THE POLICE NOTIFIED.
In the meantime her mother had become
alarmed at her absence and sent her son
Silss in search Of her. He looked about the
neighborhocd, but returned without her
and was about to start IN a second tour
when she appeared coming uD the bill to
her home. She told her story aud informa'
ton was laid before Marshal McConehay,
of Bridgeport, who, with Officer Reese Bur
dett, started in search of the rutfians, hav'
ing first obtained from Maggie the best
description she could give. They found
that three men, one or two of whom seem
ed 10 answer the description given, had
stolen the skiffof the West Wheeling ferry
anu come over to this side.
THE VICTIMS CONDITION.
LIST night REGISTER reporter called at
the MCCOnOway house and got the story
l,om the victim herself. She IS, as stated,
about II Years old, but is exceedingly we'll
grown and developed, and has a plumb
round figure. She was then suffering Sc
yerely from the effects OF the i'll treatment,
and was under a physicians care. Her
case may yet prove serious. The family
VAS greatly agitsted and distressed over
the affair and anxious to bring the ruthans
TO justice.
Marshal McConehay told the REGISTER
man there were several conflicting state
ments. From the description he had ar
rested man and taken him to the girl for
Identification, but she had promptly said
he was not one Of the four, and he was re-
leased. Circumstances led the Marshal TO
suspect the man who had conducted her
bone, but the girl had emphatically de-
clsred lie had only aided her in returnin g
home. Mrs. Milligan, OF West Wheeling
had seen the men, and is positive she
could identity one of them, and the girl
noticed several points which may assist in
bringing the rascals to justice.
LIST night Officer Burdette came to this
city, and with Officers Barum and Nolte
searched for the men, but could find no
trace of them.