Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-06-27
The Story OF the Attempted Outrage
as Told by the Girls Father-A
Night of Terror Experience
ed by the Young
Lady.

4 SAgVOOs a SDSSA~& J~J
was summoned to meet i'll Mexico
Monday, June "a, 1895,to examine into
the charge made. Mr.. Lyons has al
ways had a good reputation up to this
time and refuses to say anything about
the matter. The penalty in a case of
this kind is a penitentiary sentence
from two to five years or a Jail SEN
tence not to exceed six months. The
following statement in reference to
the assault upon Miss Bunstine by MI.
Lyons is obtained by the LEDGER from
the young iady's father, $. c. Bun
slime, of near Worcester, a prominent
farmer and highly respected citizen of
this county:
Miss Ona Bunstine, daughter of S.
C. Bunstine, of Worcester, Mo-, has
been visiting her sister, Mrs. Daisy
Cauthorn, neal Thompson Station.
Here she became acquainted with Mike
Lyons, who, up to this time, had borne
a very good reputation. He accom-
panied Miss Bunstine to Mr.. Farmers
whittier she, in company with her
brother-in-law and family, had gone
to spend the evening. Lyons was in
her company on Sunday, June Is. On
both of these occasions he acted only
as a gentleman would and should. On
that Sunday he obtained her consent
to accompany him at night to a Holt
ness meeting which was in progress.
They started in a buggy about sunset.
When they reached the Centralia road
Lyons said,
"Let's not go to meeting; let's go to
Centralia."
"No," Miss Bunstine replied, 81
don't want to go there"
Then he asked her again but she
said it threatened rain and she did not
.'ant to get wet. After repeated en-
treaties he told her that he had some
thing there he wished to get and asked
her if she wouldn't go.
"Well," she said, 'if you must go
after something, I don't mind going"
When near Centralia he proposed
that they get married, take a train
and go to Moberly. He asked her if
she wouldn't stay in town that night.
"No," she said.
"Well," he replied, "I've got you
here and you can't walk back. You
don't know the way back and you've
got to stay"
She demanded to be taken home bnt
Lyons refused. On nearing the rail-
road crossing he drove SO slowly to
cross the track that Miss Bunstine re-
monstrated.
81 don't care if knocks hell out of
u.s." he replied.
Among other edibles that Lyons
bought was a piece of pie, which he
particularly insisted she should eat.
She told him she wouldn't eat his stuff,
yet he insisted that she eat the pie.
"Eat it yourself" she said.
He replied, "You r cranky; you
must think there is something in this
pie"
"Wel," she said, ''let's see you eat
it."
This he finally did. Then he said he
was going to keep her in town.
"No you can't" she said.
"Well, I'll show you. You can't
help yourself"
81 want you to understand" said
she, "that ! have kinfolks in this town
with whom | can stay"
She thought that under the circum-
stances she'd be justified in telling him
an untruth.
"What's their names?" he asked.
"Davis," she answered.
"Well," said he, 81 heard of
them"
SIT doesn't make any difference;
they live here" she said.
Then he seemed to be alarmed and
consented to take her home.
When asked why she didn't call for
help she said she didn't know, but that
since he had her in his power she was
afraid to say or do anything that
would offend him lest he wouldn't
take her home. On the way home he
said,
81 bet you'll not go out with me any
MORE" and as she didn't comprehend
his meaning she only said "No." He
then undertook to put his arm around
her when she got out of the buggy.
Then he said if she did not get back
he would make her trouble. He
stopped and started to get out when
she became alarmed and got back.
This was repeated several times.
Miss Bunstine walked part of the
way. Finally he wouldn't let her
leave the buggy again. Then she sat
with her back to him and her feet
outside of the buggy, but he made her
get back. When they reached Skull
Lick church he drove in toward the
church. She asked him what he was
driving that way for. "I'n show you,"
he replied and stopped.
Then he asked her whether she was
going to get out or stay in and she
made no reply.
"You will have to get ont or stay
ill.," Lyons told her.
ar you get me out of this buggy o
will have to take me out dead" Miss
Bunstine replied.
Much of the foul language he used
and the hellish proposal he made to
Miss Bunstine we would not repeat.
She cried and begged him to let her
alone, reminding him of his sisters at
home, and asked him if he did not
think Of them.
mo | DON'T" he said. Then he
added, "n / had any hope of getting
you ! wouldn't do as l am doing, but
I'll get you now"
He took hold of her several times
but would let 60 when told to do SO.
AT last he said, sI have been put off
long enough" and refused to let GO.
She got his hand between her foot and
the buggy box and pressed with all
her might. Then she left her hat and
cape and broke away from him,
jumped out and ran away with all her
might. Fear lent speed to her feet.
Lyons followed in hot pursuit and al
though she fell twice he was unable to