Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-07-31
CRIME AND CRIMINALS.
Col. John Atkins Brutally
Assaulted.
STRUCK WITH A LOADED CANE
Pr0miscuous Lynching in Louisiana
to be Stopped-Lynchers
Surprised.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD. |
DENVER, July 30.-The brutal and cow
ardly assault made on Col. John Arkins,
manager of the Rocky Mountain NeWS, on
Monday evening, by Self, alias "Soapy,"
Smith, notorious confidence man, had
it's original cause in the warfare which
the Ne1Vs has for months been max
ing ON the dives and criminal
classes and the corrupt municipal ma
chine which has so long dominated Dem
yer politics. Early last fall the Ne,0s
exposed and denounced the corruption
in the police department, showing that it
was in league with thieves and gamblers
and confidence men and courtesans for
the purpose of personal gain and politi-
cal power. Last January the NevS as
sumed strong ground in favor of the Sun
day closing of saloons, and also an
nounced that henceforth in all local elec-
tons it would ignore partisan poll
tics. In maintaining these positions,
the Neps has succeeded in COM
pelling the late Legislature to
| DdS5 u LIE Ii liCCGSO Ia ohd w 81 dlllChd
| the city charter that the saloons become
| punishable under the laws of the State
| for keeping open on Sundays. The Wig
orous and successful demand for the en-
| forcement of the law has drawn upon
the NeaDs and Manager Atkins the intense
hatred of the tough element of the city.
Following up this policy, the paper
| has been exposing the manr er in which
/ hava hoot ollnUnd 10 nj
| their vocation in and about the city, and
on Monday morning, in a column article,
| it showed up "Soapy" Smith in an
especially graphic manner. This article
| is the alleged immediate cause of the as.
sault on the manager of the NeWs, but
tn at it was urged on and instigated by
the saloon and dive element there is
every reason to believe, and much evil
dence on which the assertion can be
made.
Last evening, about 7 O'Clock, Smith
and one of his friends, known as
"Banjo" Parker, went to the News
building and took up their position in
the shadow near the main entrance to
the elevator. In few minutes Colonel
Atkins came down and started to step
| into a carriage in waiting in which
was the Assistant Secretary OF
State. Just as he stepped out OF
the door, Smith spoke to him. AS
Atkins turned to see who it was, Smith
struck him over the left temple with a
loaded cane, knocking him to the pave
| ment senseless. He then belabored him
| over the head and kicked him in the side
| several times. Parker stood over Smith
to protect him while getting in his brutal
work, which occupied but a moment or
two, when both men fed.
The Colonel was carried into drug
store near by, and upon examination by
| physicians it was found that his skull
was quite badly fractured. The injured
mans wounds were dressed, and, after
regainipg consciousness, he was taken
to his home, where he rested easily
during the night, and today no one
was permitted to see him. His physicians
tonight report him doing well and in a
fair way to be cut OF danger in few
days.
Smith was arrested late last night, and
at his preliminary examination to-day
he waived examination, and was bound
over in the sum Of S25, 1000.