The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-04-16
AN ALLIANCE tlESD sss,
Makes a Criminal Assault on a
Weak Minded
Fourteen Year Old School oirl--The
Brute Bound Over to Court in the Sum Of
81 500.

Officer w. J.. Bcardsley, OF Alliance,
brought T. b. Webb to the county jail last
evening on the charge OF raping Ellie
Belts, a fourteen. year. old girl. The OH.
Ger stated TO NEWS DEMOCRAT reporter
that there was no sympathy whatever ex-
pressed for Webb in Alliance, and that
the case against him was very strong. He
stated also that Webb's wife has some
property, but she absolutely refused to go
on his bail bond for $500. Accordingly
he is now in Jail awaiting trial. The ALI
ance Review says: The city was shocked
this morning with the news that there bad
been repetition of the Army case in the
Second ward, the brute who had commit
ted the felonous assault being It. B. Webb,
a married man nearly flfty-five years Of
age, and his victim a fourteen-year-old
girl named Ellie Feltz. To make matters
worse the girl IL weak-minded, and
though Webb denies his guilt the evidence
is overwhelmingly against him. He was
arrested last night about 10 o'clock and
lodged in the lookup, where he still re-
mains. The girl lives with her mother
and step father, C. d. Yeagley, on East
Noble street. Sunday afternoon Mr.. aud
Mrs. Yeagley attended the funeral of Mr..
Holmes, Mrs. Yeagley being q cousin of
the deceased. Before leaving they placed
the girl In charge Of neighbours family,
giving her the key however, and telling
her she could go home IL she got hungry.
During the afteIn noon Webb called for
the girl and telling her that he had two
| Easter eggs for her enticed her TO go into
| the house with him where they remained
| for nearly an hour. When the girls moth
er returned after the funeral she saw inn
mediately that something was wrong with
| her, but could get no satisfactory replies
| to her questions. During the night the
| girl moaned as IL in great distress, but the
next morning seemed considerably better
and started to school. Last evening after
she returned from school she felt so mis-
erable and acted so strangely that her
mother again questioned her carefully,
and finally the girl broke down complete
| ly and said that Webb had taken her into
the bedroom after they reached the house
and forced her to submit to him. He had
threatened to kill her IL she told any one
about IL and so terrorized her that she was
afraid to explain what had happened. The
mother took the girl to DR.. Tressel and
then proceeded to the Mayors office and
swore out warrant for Webb's arrest
charging him with rape.
| Webb has lived In Alliance for over a
| quarter of century and his record is an
unsavory one. He owns two properties In
the Second ward, the Yeagley's being his
tenants. His wife is we'll spoken of, and
| Is reported as very estimable lady. They
have no children. Webb was interviewed
by the Review this morning, and although
he admits being with the girl he denies
that there was any improper conduct or
his part. He says she climbed into his lar
and threw her arms around his neck. He
only stayed short time and when he lef
the girl, went up street. The Statement
| that he was in the house only a few min
utes Is refuted by a number of the neigh
bors who saw him enter the house and who
| are positive that he remained there fo
nearly an hour at the least.
1t is said that this is not the first tim,
that Webb has been accused of intimac!
with little girls and as his victim this tim'
is weak minded the charge against him Il
decidedly serious one.
Webb's hearing was held this afternoon
before Justice Trail, W. M. Roach appear
ing for the prosecution and j. ID. Lewi
for the defense.
The witnesses subpenaed were Jacol
Yant, Elizabeth Yant, Rose McKeeve
Matthew White, Mrs. Yeagley, j. III. Tres
sell, Mr.. McKeever, Maggie Rosenberr,
and Phoebe Feltz.
DR.. Tressell's testimony showed con
clusively that the girl had been ravished
The girls testimony was straightforward
and convincing, although 1t was eviden
to all that she was weak mentally.