St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-26
A CRIME.
He Attempts To Burn a Young
Lady To Death. -

He Attempts To Burn a Young
Lady To Death. -
Springfield (Mo.) Special. ia
The widest excitement prevails at
Ash Grove, this county, and in that
vicinity, on account of one of the most
atrOciOus crimes that has been known
in the history of all this section. AS re-
ported by E. G. Mayes, a prominent
citizen of that locality, a young lady
Miss Jessie Kennedy. the daughter of a
respectable farmer, living fOur miles
south of Ash Grove, on last evening
about q O'Clock went TO the spring, 800
yards from the house, to get a bucket
OF water, and while there she was as
saulted 10y a mar who had his coat
turned inside out and a mask on his
face.
and TIED to a tree. The villain then
took out of his pocket a razor-blade
knife and made a terrible CLASH in her
breast and then set fire to her clothing.
About this time 4 wagon with two men
In 1t passed near by, and the villain be-
came frightened and fled. The parents
OF Miss Kennedy becoming alarmed on
ccoun of her absence made q vigorous
search, and soon discovered her i'm the
position she was left by the villain who
had tried her to a tree and attempted
to burn her TO death. She was taken
back to the house anda physician called.
her wounds dressed, and it is thought
she may recover.
Miss Kennedy, the victim of this
infamous outrage, is a Young lady seven
teen years of aye. Last summer she was
engaged to be married to Wilson Bay
less. a young farm hand in that locality.
About last August Bayless made an at
tempt to seduce her, at which the young
lady became indignant and discarded
him. 1t is said he SwOre vengeance
against her, and the citizens of that
locality are confident that he is the
party who perpetrated the outrage on
the young lady last evening. About
six weeks ~ Bayless disappeared
from that locality, but it is believed he
has been i'll hiding near the place where
Miss Kennedy lived until the time of
the outrageous assault. Bayless is
about % years old. of low stature,
heavy set, has a black mustache and
Is illteTate. His parents live some place
IN Arkansas, and it is believed that he
has gone to that locality.
Miss Kennedy, the victim of the out
rage, says that h recognized the knife
that'was used in slaShing her breast as
a razor-blade knife that Bayless had
last summer when he was visiting her,
and that she had used it in whiting
during that time.
The most intense excitement exists
among the citizens In the locality where
the crime was perpetrated, and if Bay
less is caught and brought back there
is but little doubt that he will be sum-
marily dealt with. Some of the lead
ing citizens have said he would be
taken to the very spot where he tied
Miss Kennedy and attempted to burn her
to death and there meet the same fate
that he had intended for her. .,
Every effort is being made upon the
part of the citizens and officers to cap
ture the villain who perpetrated the
outrage. A rumor this evening was
to the effect that Bayless had boarded
a train on the Gulf line last night and
was Intercepted and captured to-day at
TT. Scott. Kan, and will be brought.
back tonight, If such is the case there
is but little doubt that he will be taken
OFF the cars at Ash Grove and be sum
marily disposed of. H.