St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-18
AN ENGLISH DISGRACE.
Assaults in Railroad Carriages
Occurring Daily.

Occurring Daily.
LONDON, May fat Hungerford, in
Wiltshire, today, Kennedy Bell. cIeF-
brought UP prisoner charged with as
sault on two young women in the com
partments of railway carriages. Bell
has heretofore been a clergyman in
good standing. He is married and has
three children, and the charges against
him have excited the greatest astonish-
ment among those who have attended
his miniStrationS. The case is without
parallel, in that Bell appears to have
committed the two assaults in two DIFF
ferent compartments during one jour
ney on one train.
He entered at Newberry. Berkshire.
the compartment occupied by a young
woman named Britain. Soon after en- :
tering the compartment, Bell tried to
enter into conversation with the girl.
AS he appeared to be a clergyman she
answered him modestly and respect
fully. She began to get frightened.
however, when he came near and began
to fondle her. She tried to push him
away. but he persisted, and smothered
her cries when she endeayored to shout
for help. Being strong man. Bell, ac-
eording to the girls statements, over
came her by force. She was still too
much frightened to give the alarm when
the train reached KiDtbury. but deter
mined to tell the story to her friends
upon her arrival home, as she was
afraid to speak about the subject to
strangers.
Emboldened by Success.
The reverend scoandrel kept OH as a
passenger in the train after Miss Brit
tain had left it. At Hungerford a Miss
Abery got into the compartment occu-
pied by the minister of religion, who
looked as smooth and plausible as when
Miss Britain encountered him. Soon
after the train started from Hangerford
he began to make approaches to Miss
Abery. She. like Miss Britain, belongs
to the poor and respectable class of So
ciety, which feels bound to feel the
utmost Difference for the Episcopal
clergy, to answer all their questions. ana
to generally regard them as the repre-
sentatives of all that is good.
When Rev. Bell, therefore, began a
understanding conversation with Miss
Abery. the young woman felt highly
hon0red at receiving notice from such
source and answered the parsons ques-
lions defefentially. She SAYS that ne
first inquired what parish she lived in.
She told him. Then he wanted to know
whether she was regular attendant at
church. This query brought a self-con-
seiOHs blush to- the young woman's
cheek, as she confessed that she was not
as regular as she might have been. Il
am sorry to hear that" remarked Rev.
Bell. in tone of gracious reproof," and
hope" he added, as he
Moved over to Her side
and patted her on the cheek, "ttat you
will learn to be better hereafter" Rev.
Bell then took her by the hand and at
tempted other familiarities. The young
woman did not know just how far cler-
zeal privileges extended, but at length
her modeSty told her that the
clergyman had gone about far enough,
and she told him so as respectfully as
her agitation would permit. The
preacher did not agree with her views,
and gently chided her for her lack of
confidence i'll pastor of religion. He
said that 1T was her duty to submit, and
so forth, and, as the young woman con-
tinued to resist. he resofted, as i'll the
former case, to violence.
On the arrival OF the train at Bedwin,
the Rev. Bell left the compartment.
Miss Abery caused his arrest, and this
was speedily followed by information of
the other crime which he had committed
on the same train. The Clergyman at
first indignantly denied his guilt. but
afterWard admitted having been too
familiar with the girls, though heI per-
sisted in the denial Of assault. At the
hearing before the magistrates today,
sufficient proof was adduced to justify
a remand, and Bell was held without
bail for future examination.
A Change Demanded.
The sentences passed upon Goodall,
the evangelist, and Hen. Patrick Gre
Vile Nugent, for assaults committed
upon unprotected women journeying by
rail, does not seem to have had deter
rent effect upon miScreantS who find
themselves in the compartments of rail
way carriages with women and girls
who are travelling alone, as demon
Strated by the above occurrence. Not
withStandng the several cases that have
been mentioned of late in these dis
patches, the railway companies have
taken no steps to render women safe
from assault while travelling on their
lines, and the frequency with which the
aSsailants escape arrest has proved that
the communication cord intended for
use In attracting the attention of the
guards is of hardly any avail whatever.
As a matter of fact the British public is
becoming aroused to the great danger
that threatens any woman wIo travels
alone by raii, and it is thought that a
popular agitation will follow that will
result in some change in the eempart-
ment system, which places woman at
the pnQYoy nf INV mot, yyhf, fSu1,r l,;u,,oIe