The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-18
A FOOTPAD'S WORK
Mrs. D. j. Dodge Beaten
ON the Street.
THE THIEF GOT NO BOOTY.
He Was Frightened Off by His
Victims Cries.
HIS ARREST WAS PROMPT.
1t is Thought There Is Plenty of
Evidence to Convict the
Bold Offender.

One of the most brutal assaults, accom-
panied by an attempt to rob, that has been
made since the footpads began their depre-
daIions several months ago was committed
last night about o'clock on Essex street.
near the corner Of Folsom.
Mrs. D. j. Dodge, an elderly white
haired lacy, VINO lives at the Grosvenor
House on Suffer street, below Stockton,
was set upon by burly fellow while she
was on her way to the Maria Kip Orphan
age, $40 Harrison street, and beaten unmer-
cifully. Her assailant then attempted u
search her pockets for booty but. frightened
ny her screams, fed before he had succeeded
in getting anything.
The victims cries attracted the attention
of number of persons In the vicinity,
and several boys pursued the fugitive uD
Essex street and into Folsom. Here Off
GERS Meehan and Minnehan put in a timely
appearance and soon had the handouts on
The thief, who, seeing that he now bad
men TO core with. lost his beligerent
spirit and calmly submitted to arrest. He
was taken to the Southern police station
and locked up on a charge Of assault TO
rob.
Mrs. Dodge was assisted to her feet by
persons who had witnessed the assault
and was then conveyed to the orphanHg.
Ii was some time before she had sufficl-
entity recovered from the shock and eX-
element into which she had been thrown
so that she could be taken to her home
where she related the details of the as
sauIt to CALL reporter
Il am teacher at the Maria KID
OrDhanage," she said, land every Satur-
dav evening [ go there to attend the
weekly teachers meeting.
Last light | was walking along Essex
a
rral parcels, which held In my arms.
had proceeded a short distance up the hill
when l observed solitary man was walk
ing behind ne. / am so accustomed to the
route that / felt perfectly safe, and for a
time did not suspect that ] was being pur-
p0sely followed. Presently, though, the
man came so close that he annoyed me,
and l paused to let him pass me.
''When he had gone step or two in adj
vance he stopped, and, turning quickly,
dealt me a blow on the left side of he
face. ] was knocked off the sidewalk into
the mud In the street, and then, l think, |
was struck again. At all events / was
aware that the man was feeling for my
wafch or pocket. | screamed with all my
might, and | was told afteTward tina
made a great noise. 1t is sufficient to know
that l made myself heard, and in a few
moments some persons came to my assist
ance.
clear. ! know that l was taken to the
orphanage, here after a while / recovered
from the great fright and shock | had re-
ceived. l sent for my son. who is an
artist on one OF the morning papers, and he
brought me home. | was covered with
mud, and my face, as you see, is swollen
badly on the right side where l was
struck.
II cannot tell now whether the blow was
deal with the hand or sandbag, thought
l am inclined to the belief that weapon
other weapon than a sandpag would
probably have cut the flesh, for the
blow was delivered with sufficient force to
knock me off my feet ana out into the
street."
Mrs. Dodge was asked if she thought
she could identity the man who assailed
her. and said that she was afraid she cou
not. Il am near sighted" she said. land
can scarcely recogn re neople on the street
in the day time, and | would not be wllling
10 swear to the identity of the man. The
man under arrest has the same general
appearance as the man wao struck me and
that Is all l would be willing TO say.
have been using arnica on my face and the
swelling is subsiding. l am thankful to
have escaped so easily"
AS TO the identification Of the rObber the
police say that they have caught the right
man. The men and boys VINO chased him
saw the assault and never lost sight oil
him. He was In full flight when the
officers confronted and caught him.
AT the station the prisoner gave the
name Of Paul Montague and said lie was
machiDlst by trade. He is Scotchman
and strong stout man of medium size,
who looks.as ii he could deal a heavy blow.
He was not inclined to talk of the exploit
which will probably land him in the PEN
itentlary. and accepted the situation with
stolid ind Florence. He had no property
or money on his person when searched
and no weapon. He said he had been out
Of employment for some time and was led
to commit the assault by poverty and des-
peratioD.