The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-01
A BLACK DEVIL.
He Makes a Criminal Assault on q
Young Girl OF Buffalo.

There was great excitement and indig>
nation among the citizens of Buffalo
Wednesday night, when it was discovered
that brutal assault had been made upon
the Is year old daughter Of Mr.. Charles
Hoffbauer, saloon keeper of that place
The assaulted child, with two younger
ones, were asleep in the house at the
time, the parents having not yet returned
home from the saloon II was about
10 O'Clock when the eldest daughter. Fan
ME, was rudely awakened by man who
was just in the act q getting into her bed.
She screamed for help and fought the
villain with desperation akin to mad<
ness. Her assailant tried 10 choke her
into submission, but she fortunately es-
capped from his clutches, ran down stairs
to the hall, and then out into the street,
screaming for help as she hurried along
the road. A neighbor fastened to her res.
cue, and escorted her to his house. Search
was then instituted for the brute who
attempted the dastarily act, and he was dis.
covered in the hay NOW at Capt. Clark
place. The fellow proved to be negro
named James Wright, and although he
protested hiss innocence everything tend,
ed to fasten the deed upon him. The girl
could not identify HIM as her assailant,
because the room was very dark and il
was impossible for her to know whether
the brute she struggled with was white or
black; and about the time she was fleeing
in one direction from the house, he was
seen flying from the house on another
road. He was taken before Justice
Muhrer yesterday afternoon and bound
over to the circuit court in the sum OF
$500. The evidence against him was al
most positive. A comb, n package OF
tobacco exactly like the one he had pur.
chased at grocery early in the evening
and some trinkets known to be his, which
had been found in the bed, were pro-
duced. and as soon as the girl heard hi.
voice, she said he was her assailant.
Wright was brought to Davenport in
charge of three men at half past O'Clock
last night and lodged in the county Jail.
He stood behind his cell door with a
piece of bread in one hand and cup of
coffee in the other, when a reporter
asked for information or his version oil
the crime. He gave his name as jim
Russell and was in an advanced state
of intoxication. Wright, which is proba
bly, his correct name, is mulatto twenty,
six years of age, rather tall and spare and
has not very agreeable appearance. He
wore a SLOUGH hat, checkered shirt and a
well worn suit of clothes In response
to questions, he said; AS sure as God Is
my circuit judge l will tell yon the
whole truth; that is what you want, ain 7
it? | went to Buffalo three weeks
lago, coming from Chicago where
| have lived for the past two years,
though my home is in Sheridan county,
Missouri. l was at saloon in Buffalo
until 10 o'clock and then started for Mr.
Clark home. Arriving there found the
lights were out and was unable to ge
in; I went to the barn to sleep. About
Oclocka crowd of men arrested me-
About the comb and tobacco fonnd in the
5edf / can prove the comb l used every
morning is at Mr.. Clark's home and still
have my package of Long Cut tobacco
1t is not improbable that some other per
may have had the same brand as l use,
have never been to Hoffbaner's, did moi
know anything about the house ar any
body that was in it. This is the whole
truth"
! Wright, though he AYERS his innocence
is undoubtedly guilty of the assault