Evening journal., 1890-08-07
LAST EDITION
CHARGE o. RAps AGAINST CROUCH
A Pretty Trembling Young Giri en- the
witness stand.


A Pretty Trembling Yeung Girl en- tbs
Witness sIaad.
At the Municipal Court this morning,
Harry s. Crouch was charged With com
hitting felonious assault on Mary Z
Cole. on Saturday night, July 26 The
public interest manifested in the case
was very great About 1000 persons
crowded the court room. At o'clock
every alley ano corridor was Oiled. Many
crowded up the stairs ard hung over
the bslustrades to catch glimpse Of the
accused. who sat beside his counsel, Mr..
Turner, nonchalently chewing at plug
OF tobacco. The prisoner is absut ~
years old, Of dark complexion and about
8 feet inches high.
When the case WAS called Mr.. Turner
asked that the witnesses en- both sides
be excluded from the court. The re-
quest was granted.
Mary Elizabeth Cole, slight, delicate
looking girl, was then led to this witness
stand, crying bitterly. She presented q
picture Of misery, and her frame shook
with convulsive sobs. She was too weak
to stand up, and was allowed to take q
seat whiles giving her testimony She
said she was II years old and lived at
No. 800 West Sixth street, where
she has lived two years. Hor faith
ers name is w. H. Cole. She
attends church and is member of the
Sunday school class. She first met
Crouch on an excursion ri ven by the
Wesleyan Church to PennsTills Eve
weeks ago. On their way home he
talked with her ana asked if be could
see her next evening. At first she re-
fused, bnt ut last consented. She be.
heved he came to the door that night,
but when she went out to meet him
he was gone. Next Monday evening
she again met him, and accompanied
him out Fifth street as far as Ada ms,
and talked with him fifteen or twenty
minutes. She met him by appointment
ON the following Wednesday night, and
again on Saturday night. and accom-
panied him on each occasion to the park
She also met him coming from church
the next Sunday and went with him that
night to the park.
She met him also on several nights
afterward by appointment AID accom-.
panied him on each occasion to the park
She then became sick and did not see
him AGAIN for two weeks. On the Satur.
day night in question she went to Market
street and called at the store of Mitchell &
Bash. She was accompanied by a little
girl. She was returning home by Second
street, when Crouch followed and overlook
her between Market and Shipley
streets They conversed awhile
and then walked as far as Tatnall He
turned up Tatnall street and walked
short distance, but stopped and asked
her to take the little girl home. She did
so and then accompanied him to Eighth
street park. 1t was 10 o'clock, but
Crouch said 1t was bat 8 o'clock.
She then told the court how Crouch
anbuttoned her dress and laid her down
on the seat. She resisted him and cried
out "0h, Harry don't, but he paid no at
tention to her. he attempted three
times to commit the assault, but she
thought lie did not succeed. She vas So
scared. however, that she could not
positively say whether he succeeded or
not. He promised to marry her
but she said she did not want him, as
he drank. Officer Broomall came up, an
inquired what was the matter. Crouch
said the girl wanted to go home; and she
was afraid to contradict him. Next
morning the officer called at her house
and made inquiries. She then told her
mother all
Mr.. Turner questioned her about the
contents Of letter written by her to
Crouch. The letter was destroyed, but
copy of it was handed up. She denied
some of its contents
Mr.. Turner viii endeav0r to prove
that the girl was in the habit of using
obscene language TO young men, and as
she stoutly denies this and of having
anything to do with them, her credi-
bility or yeracity will thus be shat
tered. The witnesses t. prove this were
summoned and their names are John
Murphy, Frank Rogers and Wesley Big.
gins. Nj. Turner stated he was very
sorry the girl had to be so closely cues
toned, but he did everything possible
to prevent them from bringing the case
to court. In the eross-examinatien
Mr.. Turner's questions were strongly OBJ
jected to- SIS the state claimed that there
was but one defeRoe so offer. and that
is to prove that the girl lied in her testi-
mony.
Officer Charles A. Broomall testified
That on the night in question he entered
the park about 1890 o'clock from
Eighth street. He sat on bench ten
Ieet from the corner for ten minutes and
then walked ever 10 the band stand which
JNA+A t@NfpANA 6NACths III I'VE minutes
the cries Of a girl apparently in great
agony reached his ears. He told a man
who was passing to 60 down Seventh
street to the opposite corner and come
mp towards where the means were c,m-
ing from. When he tBroomSllj arrived
at spot $50 feet from where
he had been sitting, most
disgusting sight met his ewes
The girl was lying on the bench with her
clothing torn open and partly naked
The man was in the attitude Of making
an assault A belt was living in the
pathway. The girl begged piteouslv
not to DO arrested. and was cry.
ing so that she could not give an |
explanation. The man seemed perfectly |
willing to be arrested and after the |
three had taken the sobbing girl to her |
home, he proceeded with the officer to /
the police station, where charge Of /
disorderly conduct was preferred against /
him. The officer believed there was
something serious in the case and visited |
the house and told the girls father. On 1
hearing that he was in the house she
came into the room with her mother,
and told the whole story.
Drs. John p Wales and Evan s.
Shortlidge, who examined the girl, testi-
lied at great length and both swore that
to the best Of their professional knowl-
pdpp the Gaa5 uvoa L,,+