The Newtown bee., 1891-03-27
FAIRFIELD.
A CRIPPLE ASSAULTED.

Though it had become generally known
about that part of the town that crimi-
nal assault had been committed st. Pat
: rick's day, upon Miss Julia Campion, an
aged lady who boards with Mrs Eliza
Murphy, near the Mill Plain crossing,
the matter was not brought to the notice
of the authorities until last week Thurs
day afternoon, when Sheriff Pike was
told of the crime. Finding that it had
happened on st. Patrick's day and that
James Flanagan of Mill Plain, known as
the Major, was the assailant, Grand Jur-
or Henry III. Perry of Southport issued a
warrant for the arrest of Flanagan on
the charge of rape. The warrant was
put into the hands of Sheriff Pike, Friday
evening, three days after the assault. He
proceeded to the Flanagan home, found
him and took him to Bridgeport jail.
Sheriff Pike was accompanied by Grand
Juror Perry and John Hayes, but F'lana-
gan submitted without resistance. Sat
urday morning, Justice Brothwell heard
evidence in the case, Flanagan being
brought from Bridgeport in a carriage
and Miss Campion, Mrs Murphy and M.
j. Hayes summoned as witnesses. The
court room in the Town hall was crowded
with spectators when Miss Campion, who
is so crippled by rheumatism and paraly-
sis that she cannot walk, was carried in
to the selectmen's office, followed by the
others. Neither Miss Campion nor Elan
agan are remarkable for beauty and Elan
agan was distinguished by innumerable
made by Miss Campion in her struggles.
Miss Campion, Mrs Murphy and Mr.
Hayes were sworn, but only enough evil
dence was submitted to bind Flanagan
over for trial Miss Campion could not
tell her age; thought she might be per-
haps so years old. She had lived as cook
for 20 years in the family of Henry j.
Beers, but had for some years been liv-
ing with Mrs Murphy. She had had a
shock and had been unable to walk for
some time. She had known James Elan
agan for long time and was alone in the
room when he came in about II O'Clock
on the morning of st. Patrick's day.
She described the assault, saying that she
resisted and Iormented him as much as
possible in her weakness and intirmity.
AS he went out of the door, he told her
that he would make it all right with her.
Flanagan, who was not represented by
counsel, cross examined her slightly.
Mrs Eliza Murphy, who rents rooms to
Miss Campion, told how Flanagan had
chased her out of the room, leaving him
self and Miss Campion alone. She hap
asked Julia why she had such fellow
lIICIGs 4hls pllJ saul GILIl - ulISt ilitA
told her about the outrage, saying that
James Flanagan was the criminal. Flan-
agan also examined Mrs Murphy, seeking
to show that he had not chased her out
of the room, but she stoutly claimed that
he did. Judge Glover, on the redirect,
brought out the fact that she went into
the room later and found Flanagan wash
ing the blood from his face and cursing
Julia, She had looked through the key
hole and saw the couple in an improper
position. She ran for NJ. j. Hayes, but
he did not come in. She heard Flanaga
say that he would marry Julia. NJ.
j. Hayes told how he found Flanagan in
Julia rooms, sitting some distance from
her. He had not seen Flanagan before
on that day. This ended the evidence for
the State and Flanagan was put under
oath, to make his statement. He said
that it was afternoon when he visited
Julia he had a pail of beer. He claimed
that no assault took place. 10 Judge
Glover, he said that the scratches on his
face had been received in Bridgeport, the
night before. He denied that he washed
blood from his face at Julia rooms. He
could not remember whether he then
promised to marry Julia, He claimed
that he had been drinking, for the first
time in six years and could hardly tell
what he had said. Probable cause being
found by Justice Brothwell, Flanagan
was bound over for trial at the May term
of the Superior court at Bridgeport,
bonds being fixed at only $1,000. Miss
CampiOn thinks that her age is about so,
but has no record of her birth and towns
people think that she is nearer so. She
has for years lived in Fairfield and accu-
mulated several hundred dollars during
her life as domestic in the family of Hen
7 nd al han
crippled by rheumatism, she gave up her
position as cook and went to board with
Mrs Murphy. Her mental faculties are
said to be enfeebled and selectmen of the
town made application to the probate
court for the appointment of a conserva-
tor, the application to be heard Saturday
afternoon.
John j. Alvord and mother, Mary AL
word, were served with summons papers
by Sheriff Francis Pike for their appear
ance in court atBridgeport, the first Tues
day in April, to show cause for mis-ap-
preparation of Nelson Alvord's estate.
The Bridgeport Standard published an
article, some little time ago, stating that
John Alvord's sporting proclivities were
the cause of great deal of the trouble
between him and his father; this Mr. AL
word objected to so strongly that he call
ed at the Standard office and threatened
to whip the man who wrote the article.
Although the reporter is a much smaller
man than Mr. Alvord, he soon convinced
him that he had contracted to do some
thing he was unable to fuffill.-[T.
With the approach of Spring comes
the invasion of Fairfield on every pleas
ant day and especially on Sundays by a
throng of Bridgeport wheelmen. Did
the cyclists maintain their proper place
on the highway, no complaint would be
made; but so universal became the hab-
it of riding on the sidewalk that a special
town meeting was held, somewhat less
than year ago, to prohibit this. The
meeting voted that any person over the
age of II who should ride any bicycle,
tricycle. or similar vehicle on the side
walks of Fairfield should be arrested and
fined. town officer says that the law
will either be dead letter, this year, or
it will be rigidly enforced. To do the
latter, however, it will be necessary to
appoint one or two special constables,
who shall be empowered to arrest all Of
tenders on sight.
John Brady has bought couple of
heifers.
Notwithstanding her great age, Mrs J.
B. Clemens of Mill Plain had enjoyed re-
markedly vigorous health until within a
short time of her death and was hale at
the recent celebration of her 8Sth birth
day. She was attacked by pneumonia
and died in few days, after considerable
suffering. She was the oldest member of
the Methodist church at Southport, but
had not been in regular attendance for
some time. Whenever she did go, she
was carried by Daniel Hendrickson,
whose sudden death occurred but the day
before her own. Surviving by many
years her husband, Mrs PAMELA Clemens