The herald., 1895-06-08
II WAS ALMOST A LYNCH|NG
Of a Coarse Brute Who As
sauIted a Little Girl
A RAPE FIEND FOILED
Frightened From His Purpose the
Fellow Ran Away
CIeveriy Captured by Citizens and an Officer.
Patrick ConneIIy's Attack on
Little Katy Pray


under circumstances similar to those
which have compelled the men OF the
south to resort to such terrorizing
methods to overawe such human brutes
as the fellow caught yesterday proved
himself to be.
He gives the name of Patrick Connolly
and says he is stranger in this city.
The object OF his lust was little Katy
Pray, 10 years old, who resides with her
parents at S14 Los Angeles street, and at
tends the Ninth street school, near by.
The child was not injured bodily,
the brute who assailed her not having
had time to accomplish his desires. He
is confined in the city prison.
The little girl had gone to the Ninth
street school as usual yesterday and after
lunch was playing about outside the high
board fence with two other little girls
and lad named Willie Hetherngton,
who lives at 1905 East Ninth street. Con-
nelly walked up to them as they played
and accosted them. speaking to the
pretty little Pray girl and asking her to
step aside, as he wished to see her. The
child innocently followed him to one side
and on some preteXt he lured her further
away from her companions and around
the corner.
From the child's story and the corrob.
Grafton of the others. the Fellow seized
her, suddenly clapped his hand over
her mouth and pushed her up against
the fence, exposing hin. at the same
time and making vile suggestion TO
her. But when he removed his hand she
screamed and struggled. Then, 1t is SAID.
he tried to stife her ana tear her cloth
ing. 1t being broad daylight, at noon, his
boldness was amazing.
81, a
who had been looking after them, took
up the cry. as did two ladies OF the neig.;-
borhood, who,looked over and saw the
beastlv exhibition. Connolly. frightened
from his passionate recklessness, realized
his danger and fled for his life. some
while men hastily armed caught up the
chase and yelled to him to stop. But
Connolly ran only the harder, at the
sight of the cold steel in the hands of the
MOB at his heels. leaped rail and barb
wire fence into W. 7. Dalton $ orange
orchard, in his frantic haste laceratihg
his hand severely.
MIR. Dalton was leaning over his plow
talking to J. d. Crum and saw the man
dodging among the trees. Connolly saw
them and rushed over into Central ave-
nue.. Then the pursuers came up ana ex-
citedly explained that the fellow had
killed little girl. Dalton instantly un-
volver at the house, galloped into Central
avenue IN time to head the fugitive oil
at Twelfth street. Dalton rode up in
front of the hopeless and trent bling vii
lain and ordered hlm to surrender or get
shot, lie asked him what he had done,
and Connolly said None of your id
business" Then Dalton kept him GOV
cred as he sat or the curping at the road
side until the angry pursuers came up
Connelly's tune changed when mob
of from 100 to 200 men and boys, some
armed and all angry, surged arouna him
them not to XIII him. saying he had not
hurt the girl and only wanted ner to play
with him. Some of the not-neaded OF
the party wanted to swing him oil then
and there, but as none was positive that
he had done any harm. they consented
to leave hlm to the law, and no hemp
was stretched ien. Mr.. Crum fastened
up to Washington gardens and TOOK Off
Ger Baker to the scene, but Officer Dite-
wig, who resides near by, was called from
his home and promptly ironed the low
browed scoundrel, whom he sent to the
city prison in the patrol wagon accompa,
med by the eXecrations OF the great crowd
that had assembled to string il i'm up.
As Connolly covered like a sullen cur
in the city prison. his utter depravity and
lack of any instincts finer than those ac-
credited to tie meanest Of the brutes was
disgustingly not ceabe. His heavy.
coarse face was set off by stubbly beard
of a few weeks growth. and pair of
dull eyes rallied to tighten the paleness of
his fear haunted face. HIS dress was
rough and his whole appearance iudi-
Gated a person OF q very low order. At
the prison it was discovered that the m on
ster is tflicted with revolving disease.
Immediately after the occurrence Katie
Pray, frightened and fainting from her
dreadful
from there hastily conveyed to her sisters
home on Twenty-ninth street, between
Main street and Maple avenue. Her
mother and brother feared the shock to
her and sent her there to be as secluded
from the scene as possible. She disap
peared as though the earth had swallowed
her up. and her possible in juries not being
known rumor had it that she was in Il
precarious condition and unable to be
seen.
While officers were securing the vcini-
ty to find her, her brother gave the nec-
essary information 10 Desk 1lelk Hens
ley. Detective Auble. Officer Dit ewg
and the reporters finally found the child
on Twenty ninth street and heard her
story. She shortly afterward went TO the
police station with her sister and identi-
fed her assailant. The child told the
officers have no doubt as to Connolly s
evil intention, they think a charge of at
tempted rape will not stand so it is prob
able the beast in prison will be tried
for an aggravated case of indecent eS-
posurc.
The nei6hbors of the child and family,
as well as every one with sensiblities
finer than an Australian savage, are
highly incensed over the affair and de-
mand more justice than law in the mat.
ter. The little girl is a bright innocent
child and very favorably known amonG
friends. teachers and playmatcs. No
charge has yet been filed against her as
sailant.
The Maccabees of Southern California