The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-01
TAINTED IN COURT.
A Man Fearing Accusation
SVoOnS Away.
Charged With an Assault Upon Two
Young Girls.
While Undergoing Examination for Another
0fenSe a Remark Of The Judge
Causes Him to Confess.
srecial to THE MORNING CALI.

PROVIDENCE Or. L., July 31.-To-day
most extraordinary scene took place in
court during the examination of William
Fielding, the son of a weA-to-do farmer
who had been arrested, charged with having
committed battery upon one of the men
who worked upon his fathers farm.
Last Wednesday Emma Hoar and Gertie
and employed in mill, were assaulted
within a few hours of each other. The
girls are each about IA years of age.
Miss Hoar was approached by man
who laid violent hands upon her, and who,
after that, committed a felonious assault.
and the treatment which she was subjected
to by the cowardly assailant caused her to
become insensible and he escaped
Not long after Miss White was ap-
preached as Miss Hoar had been, but the
assailant met with resistance he did not
anticipate, and, during the struggle, the
man, to free himself from the grasp of the
girl, took a carpenters chisel from one of
his pockets and plunged it into her back.
This produced the desired effect and the
brutal fellow got away, but not before Miss
White had had a good opportunity to OBJ
tain a view of his features.
The screams of the wounded girl attracted
the attention of parties, who came to her as
sistance and carried her to her parents
home, where 4 physician who was sum-
mOned pronounced the wound she had re-
| ceved a probably fatal one. Miss White
| furnished description Of the man who had
| inflicted the wound.
| The fact of this murderous attack and of
the one on Miss Hoar became known in a
short time and the greatest excitement pre-
| vailed. The county officials and a number
| of citizens formed search parties, seeking
| In every direction for the miscreant, but
| were unable to discover any trace of him.
| To-day, while Fielding was under exam
| ination for the assault upon the farm-hand,
| the magistrate was noticed observing young
Fielding very closely. After having studied
him for few minutes the magistrate, in a
| quiet way, remarked: "Mr. Fielding, you
| had better be very careful, for you answer
| the description of the man who assaulted
| the two girls last Wednesday"
| To the surprise of all who were in the
| courtroom Fielding was observed to turn
| pale, tremble and in moment after fall in
| faint.
| This created a suspicion that he might
| know something about the terrible assaults
SO when he recovered consciousness an Off
| Ger took charge of him and brought him into
the presence of Miss White, the wounded
| girl
The girl turned her face toward Fielding,
| and it, answer to the question " Do you
| know this man?" she said: "Yes; that is
the mln who stabbed me in the back"
Fielding was then asked, "What have you
to say to that?" For time he remained
| silent, but upon the question being repeated
he said. hesitatingly.. 1.-The girl tells the
| truth; | did stab her."
"Why did you do it?" was asked.
| 81 don't know" was his only reply.
"Ain't you the man who assaulted Miss
| Hoar?" asked one of those who were pres
ent.
| Fielding,af after moments hestaucy. hung
his head as if to avert the gaze of those
who were around him and said: 81 might
! as well tell the truth. L did, but l don't
| know what promp pied me to do it."
| Immediately after the admission by Field
| ing, he was taken to the prison and locked
| up, and an order was made that he be de-
tanned until he furnished bondsmen who
can qualify in the sum of 81, 900.
It is reported tonight that Miss White
will not recover from the effects of the
| wound.