The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-02-26
LEFT HIM FOR DEAD.
A Bold Highwayman Robs a
Well Known Man.
The Victim Badly Injured and
Left on the Track.
One of the Most Brutal Assaults Ever
Known.
The Police Succeed in Capturing the
Guilty Party---Full Particulars of the
Await


Canton is fast gaining a reputation for
highway robberies and IL is decidedly not
an enviable one. The locality in which
many depredations have lately been COM
mtted Is in SaXton street, near the Ft.
Wayne depot, and scarcely an evening
passes without there being reported cut
ting allray or attempted highway robbery.
One OF the latter class of otfenses was
committed last night and the police are
now on the alert for a clue to the perpe-
traitor of the deed.
Louis Groiean of No. 107 South street,
Massillon, in company with Mart Bast,
came to this city yesterday morning to at
tend the funeral of his uncle, Joseph Hem
ry. Grojean missed the train in the eve
ming but as it was essential that he be at
home this morning to attend to his work,
he concluded to wait around the depot un-
til freight train came along and he then
intended TO board it and ride to Massillon.
Accordingly he sauntCrcd down to the
depot and becoming tired waiting outside,
walked over to Studer's saloon, corner
SaXton and Tenth streets, and sat
down TO await the arrival of n
west bound freight train. While in the
saloon he struck up an acquaintance with
a man who was seated at one Of the tables
The men appeared friendly enough and
the two talked at odd times for perhaps
two hours. Finally at 2 o'clock Groiean
thought he had better go over towards the
depot. What followed can better be told
| in his own words. He was seen at police
! headquarters this morning by a News
DEMOCRAT reporter and the following ac-
count of the affair elected:
"When | signiiied an intention TO go
over to the depot the man near whom
had been seated asked me where wanted
| to go. ! told him | wanted to catch a
freight for Massllon. 'Well,' said he,
Al \ l.. Il
ride together We started out of the
| saloon towards the depot, when the fellow
! stated that freight trains usually ran rapid.
ly past the depot and IL we would walk up
| the railroad above the target we could get
on easily as all the trains slowed up at
| that point. l said all right and we started
up the track, he walking four or five steps
! in advance of me. He was not a very
! large man, was comparatively well dress
! ed and wore dark clothes and dark over
| coat of light texture.
We proceeded up the track some
distance until | become somewhat suspi-
Cous as there was no sign of a
freight train and we were getting pretty
well out of town. l said to him that
| was not going any farther. He said that
the siding was only short distance
J farther and we could get on the train
| there. | said that Iwoud go no farther
| and turned around to GO back. Just as
|
| the head with a stonc. | did not see him
pick up the stone and he must have had it
| in his pocket. The blow knocked me
! down and fell outside the rails. AS
was attempting to rise he hit me with
| another stone and kept on throwing stones
on my head asl lay thcre. | was partially
| unconscious, bat remember that he
picked me up and laid me on the rail-
| road track. At this junCture | lost con-
| sciousncss for perhaps half an hour.
When | awoke was lying in the centre
of the track, and my watch
and chain and S. in money were gone. l
| staggered around while and then started
| back TO the city to finda doctor. | met
! some parties returning from a dance and
| they told me to go up - the square and
/ notify the police
Groiean told his story concisely and
| clearly and there is not the shadow of a
! doubt that the above is true ac-
| count of the affair as il occurred.
| lie found a member of the
police force and wastaken to police head
quarters. Dr.. BieChele was summoned
| and the injured mans wounds were dress
| ed. There were eight distinct cuts in the
| head, six of these requiring stitches to be
| inserted by the surgeon. None of the
| wounds were of a particularly serious ma
| ture and no serious results are anticipat-
| ed.
| When seen this morning at police head.
| quarters, Grojean was literally covered
with blood. His face was disfigured, the
skin being peeled off in a number of pla-
ces. His head was bandaged and blood
was oozing from a wound in the ear. His
/ shirt and collar were one mass of clotted
| blood, and his clothes were stained with
| the red fluid.
| Upon visiting the spot where the affair
occurred this morning, the officers found
| two stones to which adhered hair and clot-
| ted blood. The man after leaving his
victim jumped over the fence into field,
| proceeded short distance then
made his way back to the railroad
and started east. He is evidently not a
stranger, as it is fact that freight trains
slow up when nearing the crossing and
this fact must have been we'll known to
the robber. The bartender at Studer's
| place states that he saw the men go out
| together but THAI they were both strangers
| to him. he says that he does not remem-
ber having ever seen the rcbber before.
| 1t is fortunate that train did not come
along for a considerable length of time
after the highwayman left his victim, as
nothing could have saved Grojean from
instant death.