Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-05-04
IS 1T CRUTCHFIELD
OR BRAXTON?
SQUIRE T1NsLEY SPENDS TWO
DAYS INVESTIGATING THE
FOUL ASSAULT UPON
MRS. PATzKE, ..
The Evidence In Full.

ICahch ioi iuNcstlSdtlOH DtlOIo bst
Tinsley Tuesday morning; also tn
= case against George Lander for shoot
}. ing said Crutchfeld was called, al
S three of the cases to be joined in tn
: investigation. Jno. w. Payne repre-
sented the Commonwealth; Jane
Breathitt, Braxton; Robert Lander
COL, Crutchfield, and A. V. TONNES
l Lander. On motion of Mr.. Breath
!, lit the case was postponed till Wed
8 nesday morning. --f- q
Wednesday morning the cour
room was crowded, the prisoner
were brought in and the trial pro
ceeded. The investigation was te
, dious and in some respects desultory
: therefore we reproduce only sucl
testimony as is necessary to full and
just understanding of the case. The
injured lady was the first witness
and she was at times almost over.
come as she told the horrible story Of
the assault.
| Mrs. Patzke: My name is Matilda
:. Patzke. l cook at Mr.. Mende's. My
maiden name was Carnicht; am now
| divorced from my husband who lives
| in Wisconsin. Ny step-father, Rim
hold Schamp, lives on farm two
miles north of the city. Have lived
| in this city about l year, and been
with Mrs. Mendel the last 7 months.
1t is my custom to go to my step
fathers every Sunday evening after
my days work is done. l started as
usual last Sunday. When 1 crossed
the rock bridge on North Main street,
| saw two negro men sitting on the
bridge; one Of them followed me,
about 90 feet behind me. 1t was
about dark. The negro passed me
when we got about Mr.. Lander's, and
said to me, "taking an evening walk 2"
| turned to go beea; but he rushed
upon mo and grabbed me and threw
me against the fence; pulled my
clothing up and said insulting re-
marks. 1 screamed and he took a
pistol from his coat sleeve and plac-
ing ii in my breast SAID, "Hush, or
I'll kill you'll" 1 broke from him and
ran to Mrs. Roark's. He wore a
black stiff hat, white shirt, grayish
coat, and had chin whiskers and
moustache. Cooking at Braxton,
witness identified bin as her assail-
anti. Mr.. Lander came to Mrs.
Roark's and after time brought me
to town in his rockaway. There was
no person in sight at the time of the
assault.
Ohio Lander: Live on North Main
street, Started to church Sunday
night about7 80 o'clock. just before
reaching rock bridge 1 met Mrs.
Patzke and sawBraxton following her.
(Witness here identified Braxton.)
Something peculiar in his manner
attracted my attention. never saw
Crutchfield.
Mrs. Roark and daughter merely
coroborated statement of Mrs. Patzke
about coming there.
George V. Lander: Was in my
stable lot hitching my horse Sunday
evening about dusk when l heard
scream. Finished what was doing
and led my horse to front. Then
heard screaming at Mrs. Roark's,
rushed over there and they told me
some one had tried to outrage wo-
man. They said he was "black and
ragged" and was right up there
(pointiug out Madisonville road). 1
got my pistol, jumped IN rockaway
and started in pursuit. Saw as l
started off man going out the road,
hailed him and he turned and came
towards me. Saw pistol in his hand.
Told him to halt, thinking certain
he was the rapist Started to get out
Of the buggy when he snapped at me.
| then snapped at him, he snapped
again, so did /, and he again. He
then started TO run and 1 fired, the
ball knocking him down. 1 ran by
him, he jumped up and ran fired at
him again. chased him for some
distance and then lost sight of him.
Picked his pistol up where he fell
Showed it to ladies at Mrs. Roark's
and Mrs. Patzke said "that's the pis-
tol that was drawn on me-"
Herbert Roark confirmed Lander's
statement about the pistol. VIM.
Ryan testified that he was opposite
Mr.. Sites at time Of firing but saw
no one. A. G. Bishop was between
Ryan and the scene of the trouble
coming from town. Saw no one as
he came out the road.
Mildred Lipkins, COL. Dave Bax-
ton was at my house on First street,
near main, about dusk Sunday even
ing. lie was talking to my husband
and going towards Main street.
Felix Biggerstaf and policeman |
Wellington testified that Braxton
wears a SLOUGH and stiffh alternate
ly. The reason l arrested him, said
Biggerstaff, was because of COM
plants that had come to me about
him and he was under suspicion.
James Crutchfeld, Jr., col. Live
3lG miles north of town. Was al
home Sunday. Started to go to Mr..
Coburn's about sundown, expecting
to spend the night in town. Dor-
'owed my brothers pistol. 1t had
lnly one load in it and carried il in