The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-27
HARRISON TASKELES TRIAL.
A Terrible Story Told on the Witness Stand
by the Prisoners Victim.

Harrison Taskell's trial for rape caused great
deal Of interest yesterday. Throughout the
morning as the jury was being selected. the
Criminal Courtroom had in it crowd as great
az in the afternoon when the testimony began.
The gallery and lower floor were alike filed with
men and women attentively listening to every
bit Of evidence but little of it reached the larger
part Of the audience, and none of it probably
went into the remote corners of the ROOM where
men stood as closely as they could in order to
make room for all. Around the door and down
the main aisle the crowd had its representatives,
while many got seats within the bar.
Taskells alleged crime occurred Oct. z. last
year, and affected Miss Helen Heundling. It's
details were not only of dis gushing but out
rageous character and showed the girl to be at the
mercy of brute force A dramatic interest attached
to the case when the prosecuting witnesses broth
br shot and wounded the prisoner. Haskell, while
he was being taken from the court room after q
plea OF not guilty on arrangement TO the indict-
ment returned against him. 1t required the full
forenoon to obtain jury. Seven of the regular
panel were challenged peremptorily by the de-
Tense and one by the State, after which the jury
stood ready for the trial as follows George H.
Crozier, VIM. NJ. Harrison, Martin Anderson,
Edward Perry, Peter Hoffman, Henry Pence,
q. Is.
William Reuse, A. s. Burt and John Woods
Sergeant Travis the first witness, described
the surroundings Of the stable of Samuel John
son. in the rear OF the latter's residence, on
North Meridian street. 1t is here the crime is
said to have been committed. The Sergeant and
Captain Campbell went to make the arrest of
Haskell. who told the officers that it was mat
ter Of consent on the part of the woman. The
prisoner denied having revolver. but Captain
Campbell found one under Taskells pillow. He
h0h hIo 0ln NIv,p- 1aff4 NG4
stable He also told the officers that the pur-
pose was not accomplished.
Miss Heundling a progressing woman Of
twenty-five or twentyth years of age, then
took the stand. She shows the effect of long ILL
ness, and at times in the painful relation of her
experience with the prisoner, shed tears It was
an evident trial of torture for her to go through
with the LONG direct and cross-examination, and
as her story was given through an interpreter it
won for her general sympathy. She said that
from Thursday until Saturday evening she had
done service in the family of George C. Beck,
No. 635 North Meridian street She left there
voluntarily, and had with her bundle of
clothes, when Haskell, whose employer lived near
by, met her, and asked her if she was going to
leave the Beck family. Miss Heundling told him
yes. Haskell then said if she would come into
the stable he would get the number of house
where she could find employment This she did,
but once inside the door, Haskell put his hand
over her mouth and carried her up to his room.
Then he. with revolver pointed at her head,
Notwithstanding her struggles with him and the
blows and scratches she gave him, threw her
down and overcame her. She escaped from his
clutches. and eluding his attempts to catch her.
jumped from the window and ran wildly
down the street At a drug store on
the corner of Seventh and Illinois street
she told her story, and the sympathizng hearers
sent her to her sisters in hack. They in
formed the police, and the arrest was made.
For weeks she suffered from the abuse. Officer
Travis, in his testimony, stated that the woman's
bundle of clothes was found in the stable. Miss
Heundling, on severe cross-examination by
Major Gordon, held tenaciously to her direct
testimony. Dr. Pink gave the medical testi-
mony in the case. which went far to establish
that the crime was accomplished Prosecuting
Attorney Harding and James Cropsey represent
the State. The case will be resumed this morn