Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-06-20
A Physician Under a Serious Charge.

this county las week by the arrest,
late on Wednesday night, of DR.. W.
E. Perry, practicing physician at
Halltown, on a warrant sworn out by
W. A. Johnson, charging DR.. Perry
with an attempt at criminal assault on
Miss Rose J. Johnson, sister of W. A.
Johnson and daughter of George John
son, a miller. The young lady is
twsnty-three years old and bears a
good reputation. She said she called
at DR.. Perry's Office, in his dwelling
house, for treatment, aud that he ad-
ministered chloroform against her pro-
test, which rendered her unconscious
for brief period, during which she
claims the attempted assault was made.
DR.. Perry was taken to Charlestown
and put under bond of $500 for a
hearing the following Monday. He
stated that the charge was false and
groundless. The release of DR.. Perry
upon $500 bail caused deep feeling
among the people of the vicinity, and
there were threats of summary ven
geance. Another warrant was sworn
out on Friday morning by W. a.
Johnson, charging Perry with Grim
inal assault instead of attempted as
sault. He was again taken to Charles
town, where Justice David Howell
granted the accused preliminary
hearing. The case was heard in the
courthouse, and lasted from 8 to 6
o'clock. A large crowd attended, on
account of the prominence Of the par
ties.
Miss Johnson testified positively to
the contamination of the assault, stat
ing that DR.. Perry, after directing her
to inhale the chloroform and she de-
clining, held her hands and forcibly
administered the drug; that she was
unconscious for a brief period, and
upon reviving she found him in the
act of assaulting her and he again
tried to force her to inhale more Of
the fumes, but she succeeded in pre-
venting him. On cro.s-examination
she stated he did not tell her she had
a disease that would require him to
make an examination. She denied
consenting to any such examination.
Several witnesses were examined on
both sides as 10 minor circumstances
of the case. Dr. J. ?. Bishop, who
made an examination Of Miss Johnson
after the alleged assault, said he could
not tell positively from her condition
whether an assault had been commit
ted or not. Expert testimony was
taken as to the effects of chloroform IN
producing hallucination, but Miss
Johnson said she testified to what ac-
Cured while she was conscious, and
not what happened while she was under
the influence of the drug.
DR.. Perry testified on his own be-
half and denied the charge, but stated
that he was about to make an examl-
nation of Miss johnson when his wife
appeared at the office door, and he
opened it. He then gave Miss John
son some medicine and told her he
would make the examination some
other time.
After hearing the testimony Justice
Howell held the accused for the grand
jury and committed him to jail.
The Charlestown AdcOcote Of FRI
day last, referring to this case, says; :
"Dr. Perry was in town yesterday al
ternoon, and stated to the writer that
the whole charge is false. He says
that the young lady came to his office
complaining of painin her head and
stomach, and that he had some chloro-
form and poured some on handker-
chief and told her to inhale 1t and
that it would relieve her; that she was
never wholly unconscious; that he was
surprised on looking around to find
that she seemed to be in somewhat OF
stupor; he sent servant after glass
of water; upon his going to her and
taking hold of her arm she reused up
and conversed with him; that almost
Immediately his wife came in and they
all sat there and laughed and talked !;
that the young lady was sitting right
in front of the window and was in full
view of the pike and the porch which
communicates with the Office, and that
the crime charged was utterly impossl-
bic under the circumstances and sur
roundings, and that he was never more
surprised in his life than when he was
arrested. We have no hesitation IN
saying that the manner of DR.. Perry
was that of a man confident Of his IN
nocence and was by no means that Of
a man guilty of so serious a charge.