Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-05-05
ASSAULT ON THE HIGHWAY.
A Desperate Crime Attempted by
Young Walter Bartlett.

lpHtly spOt OH inc Lancaster turnpike,
three miles from this city, between and
10 n. IN. Thursday. The alleged assailant
is Walter BARTLETT married man. % years
old, and living close by the Lancaster
avenue crossing of the Baltimore Il Ohio
railroad, in Silverbook. The victim Of the
despicable crime is Emma Murphy, u
young woman, 10 years OF age, living with
the family of Frank Lewis, about one-half
mile distant from the Four-mile Tavern on
the Lancaster pike.
The girl, who is quite good-looking and
an orphan, has been living with the Lewis
family for several years, having come there
from Lancaster county, Pa. She has been
considered almost as member of the
family and assisted Mrs. Lewis with work
about the house. Recently she had in
tended TO leave the home of the Lewis
family and go TO live with Mrs. Coleman
in the vicinity OF Edge Moor. She left for
Edge Moor Thursday afternoon and on re-
turning that evening missed the train and
was compelled to walk back. She kept to
the IL. ~ o. railroad track and reached the
Lancaster avenue station about o'clock
She then started for the Lewis home on
the Lancaster pike.
She had not gone far out the pike when
the attention OF the girl was attracted by
the actions of man proceeding at some
distance behind her. She was somewhat
frightened at the approach of the mysteri-
Gus stranger and quickened her pace in
order to escape She could barely see him
by the reflection OF the. lights in the rail
road watch tower. When she goi beyond
the rays Of these lamps the strangers form
was not visible. She thought he had
ceased following her and taken another
road. The night was intensely dark.
The girl pushed on down the pike
toward her home, and when she reached
dark spot in the roadway, but short dis
lance from the Wilmington & Northern
railroad crossing and fully mile from
SilverbroOk, she was startled BY Tie cries
of a man calling to her to stop. The voice
came from behind and the darkness hid
the stranger from view The girl was in
the act Of fleeing from the assailant. when
the iiend rushed quickly To her side and
clutched her in his arms. With one
arm about the struggling womans waist
and the other over her mouth, the excited
brute attempted TO force her to the plat
form OF the w. d n. station nearby. She
fought liercely for her honor.
Finding that his efforts in this direction
were fruitless, the frenzed brute struck
the woman staggering blow in tho
mouth, almost Telling her TO the ground.
lie followed this up by repeated blows
until blood gushed freely from her mouth
and nose. After desperate efforts the girl
was forced to the platform of the station,
where n terrible struggle took place, the
young girl fighting with all her strength to
Illustrate the efforts of her brutal assallant.
Her garments were almost torn from her
body and being a powerful young girl.
the assailant was only overcoming Her by
british muscular force, when her screams
attracted the attention Of A. L. White. d
coal and lumber merchant, living close by
the scene Of the attempted crime. Mr..
White was returning from MontChanin
and was quarter of a mile distant when
the screams of astruggling woman reached
his ears.
Throwing off his overcoat he made
straight for the scene of the struggle The
screams had not ceased as he approached
the spot. and seemed to come from some
one in sore distress. Mr.. White was about
100 yards from the station when the assail-
ant released his hold on the PROSTATE girl,
She was almost overcome with exhaustion,
but bravely protected her honor until the
last. The assailant fled
MIR. White helped the girl to the house
OF a nelghbor. where he left her TO come
TO this city, where he notified the police.
= Accompanied by Captain Kersey he re-.
turned to the scene of the attempted out
rage about ii O'Clock. All efforts to find
the nssallant proved unavailing. Captain
kersey, now joined by officer Leach, went
TO the house where Miss Murphy was stay
ing, and after the greatest difficulty sue
ceeded in getting description of the man
The girl was still badly frightened and SO
Frustrated that it was fully an hour before
an accurate description could be obtained.
Officer Leach then recognized in the
scoundrel Walter BARTLETT il young mar
ried man living close by the watch box at
Lancaster avenue station. The officers
brought the girl into the watch box, where
Captain kersey remained with her, while
Leach went to the Bartlett house and
raped Tor admission at . o'clock Friday
morning. Mrs Bartlett came to the win
dow. When notified by the policeman
the object of his visit, Mrs. Bartlett did not
seem surprised. She called to her husband.
who, she says, had NOT slept a wink ali
night. When informed Of the officers
visit, Mrs. Bartlett stated Friday morning
that her husband trembed like d leaf. He
hurriedly dressed himself
lie told his wife to notify the officer to
50 10 the back door and that he would be
down shortly. The officer heedlessly did
so, expecting the man to walk into his
arms. While Officer Leach remained Mt
the rear OF the house, Bartlett fled into the
cellar Of the house, and not caring to at
tract the attention Of the officer by opening
the front door, got out through the cellar
window. lie then madc his escape. He
was seen making for the W. Il n. railroad
track, where II IS believed he took passage
on the first passing freight train
Previous to his departure the fugitive
had taken care @ shave OF his moustuche
and otherwise disguise himself rs much as
possible. Mrs. Bartlett when seen Friday
morning stated that her husband had tola
her about ii O'Clock in the evening that he
had gotten into trouble and expected to he
arrested lie then Went and got his razor
and shaved of his inoustilche. she said.
lie had not told her Of the assault but
MIS-. Bartlett believed the charge, when
artcd concerning her husbands escape.
Bartlett said nothing about lii tlirbt "a
her she said, and lett behind him a wife
an two.years-old bnbc to exist us they
could lie Was q hricklayer by trade. His
wifc is but q years old and of attractive
appearance. Mrs. Bartlett stated that her
husband had not been drinking at thc
time Of the assault
Miss Murphy was brought to the police
station at an early honr5lfriday morning,
where sue was turned over to the care of
Alairon White. At II O'Clock she was al.
lowed to 90 TO her home
Bartlett was arrested at the residence of
| his iather-in-law On Friday night by De
teetives Hawkins and lIatton. He was
held IN 81, 900 bail for court on Saturday
Marriage at Chesapeake City.
alCorrespondenc Of Gazctte and journal
EtRToN, Mp., April 23-lIarry =
| lhurChmau of Wilmington and Mis-.
Carrie Harriatt, daughter II John ". IIar
! riatt woll-known farmer residing neal
chesapeake CITY, were married at 6.3t
| o clocK last evening at the Church of the
Good Shepherd. at the latter place, in tho
| presence oil a large assemblage Of relative
and invited friends. The ceremony was