Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1888-03-16
A Leading Citizen of Springfield, Mo-,
Guilty of Most Disgrace
tul Conduct.
By Contemplate Trickery He Gets
Efie Ellis in His Power and HOr.
ribly Disfigures Her.
An Erring Woman Blinded and Blem.
isned With Sulphcric Acid to Save
Deprayed Son.
Talk of Lynchine,

ST. LOUIS, March 14.-Springfeld, Mo-.
is thrown into state of extreme excite
ment by the atrOclous attack of a frenzied
father upon the mistress OF wayward son.
Fife Ellis of st. Louis is the victim and
now lies in agony with her eyes burned
out and her face SCARED with the burns of
vitriol. She was an abandoned woman
and had ruined Kenton Cox, son of DR..
George w. Cox, the United States pension
examiner of the Springfield district and
prominent man politically and in the
medical fraternity. Worked up to frenzy
by the shame of a debauched son. he en-
ticed the girl from st. Louis by means of
telegrams signed with his sons name and
early this morning met her at the SPRING
field depot. There was but one carriage
there and the driver hurried her to it with
the assurance that he was sent there for
that purpose. 1t was still dark, but as the
who seized her as she attempted to step
out She recognized him as Dr. Cox and
feared trouble, but the whip was put to the
horses and in twinkle they were dashing
down the street. Horrified, she cried to
the man for mercy and not to murder her.
WORSE THAN KILL YOU.
will disfgure for life," was the response,
and thereupon he struck her over the head
with bottle A liquid poured down over
her head, face and shoulders and burned
and ate its way into Ler flesh, causing in
tense agony. Her eyes were also attacked
by the burning stuff, which proved to be
sulphurlc acid, and she felt as though she
was being consumed. The doctor is said
to have also struck her several severe
blows with his fist Her cries attracted
the police and the carriage was stopped.
The girl was taken to Steiger's hotel and
physicians called, who found that one eye
was totally destroyed and the other will
probably become sightless. Her face.
neck, shoulders and chest are scared with
burns and she is.
HORRIBLY DIsF1GURED EOR LIFE.
The doctor surrendered to the sheriff,
but was soon released on his own recog-
nizance. Later he entered into $1,000
! bonds. While Mr. Cox was in the sheriff's
office an excited crowd gathered around
| and lynching was freely talked of, but bet
ter counsel prevailed and since it was
learned that the girls life is not in great
danger quiet has reigned. Effie Ellis is a
woman Of the lower world and met Cox at
! Wisconsin summer resort. She infatu-
ated him and at his solicitation made her
home in Springfield, Mo-, where she at
| tempted to run variety theatre. Young
Cox backed the venture and became a
prominent figure in
! A MOST DEGRADED DEN.
DR.. Cox tried every means to break up the
infamous alliance and finally drove the
star and her troupe out OF Springfield with
the aid of the police. She came to St.
Louis and very shortly the young man fol-
lowed, taking a subordinate position in the
st. Louis s. San Francisco railroad office.
He lived with Efie on Pine street and
squandered about $500 on her in short
| time while she strove to become .:leadng
lady" in the Palace theater. Finally he
returned to Springfield, but not to mend
his wild habits. Within the last week sew
eral kilograms and letters signed sKenton
Cox were delivered to Efie. Each OF these
entreated her to come to Springfield One
said that matters had been made all right
with the doctor and in responding to this
she met her fate. The police admit that
Dr. Cox sent the. messages. The girl will
recover. The charge against the doctor is
mayhem.