The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-17
DEALT FOULLY WITH HER
A STRANGERS REVOLVING ASSAULT
ON SIX-YEAR-OLD EDA SEEK.
Lured to n Secluded Spot Seven
Miles from Home-She Was Com
ing from school.

-H
An ATTEMPTED CRIME, brutal and revolving
in its details, has darkened the home of
Herman Seek, young German employed
as a packer by the firm of Murphy, Hibben
G. Co. An unknown man enticed Herman
Seeks six-year-old daughter Eda to accom-
pany him to a secluded spot near Bright
wood yesterday, where he made an at
tempt at criminal assault The little one
screamed and shouted aloud for help as
she lay struggling on the ground, but no
one heard her childish cries, which grew
fainter and fainter she was choked into
insensibiity. After few moments her
struggles ceased and her assailant fled in
terror believing that his hands were
stained with murder.
With disheveled, fiaxen hair, clothing
torn and blood flowing from cruel wounds,
she lay insensible for some minutes. Par
TALLY regaining consciousness, moaning
and suffering agony, the little one crept
through the cornfield and tangled weeds
to the nearest house she could find, the
home of Albert Springer, a dairyman liv-
ing on South Brookside avenue. With her
tender flesh bruised and bleeding she sank
inseusible on Springer's doorstep. little
dog, the family pet, attracted some of the
men to the spot by its barking. Her face
was so black from the attempted strangu-
lation that she was first mistaken for
negro child, but after picking her w ten
derby and carrying her into the house, it
was discovered that she was a white
child The first thought of the Springer
family was to put her to bed and wash
away the blood and sand. The left ear
was nearly torn from her head and the left
cheek was puffed UP. About her neck and
breast were dark livid blotches, where the
fingers of her brutal assailant almost sank
into the flesh. Her shoulders were raw
from her struggles Her appearance was
shocking and the men of the family were
almost completely unnerved by her suffer-
ing and piteous fright. When the family
had done what was possible to relieve her
suffering, one man was dispatched to the
nearest telephone to summon the police,
while others started out to try and find her
parents in the neighborhood, little dream
ing that the child had walked seven miles
with the scoundrel. Eda was found on
Mr. Springers doorstep about CLOCK In
the afternoon. but ii was nearly d O'Clock
before the message reached Superlntendent
Colbert who al once drove to the scene
with detective Kinney after telephoning
for police surgeon Courtney and directing
matron Buchanan to go to Springer
house.
HIS DELIBERATE PURPOSE.
- -
date service to the child. Superintendent
Colbert and detective Kinney traced the
steps she had taken to reach Springer's
house hack to the cornfield, where they
found signs that convinced them that the
unknown wretch had been careful and de-
liberate. The tall weeds had been cut down
in a circle or torn up by the roots and piled
llp in the center. Additional protection from
observation was afforded him by the corn
stalks His footsteps were traced toward
the Belt railroad, where the trail was lost.
From the footprints he evidently wore
pointed shoes. and this was the only clew
the officers had as to his identity. Search
ing about in the weeds and cornfield, the
little girls hat was found about thirty teet
away from the open circle covered over
In the meantime matron Buchanan and
police surgeon Courtney arrived at Spring
ers house. The surgeon bound uD the
childs wounds and examined her carefully;
dangerously and that she would probably
recover with careful nursing. as all of her
wounds are external and confined pr princil-
though her legs were somewhat bruised.
The child was taken to the station house,
and after she was somewhat Gained down
was able to tell her name and where she
lived Herman Seek and his family live in
the rear of No 2S1 South New Jersey street.
where the father was found and informed
of what had occurred 1t was the first in
timation the childs parents had that any
one has been attending the German Luth-
eran school on South New Jersey street.
At noon yesterday she did not return home
for dinner and the parents supposed that
she had accompanied one of the older girls
home but. to make ,. sure, they sent her 1
turned shortly and reported that they were
correct in their surmises and they were not
alarmed supposing that the older girl
would take Eda back to school in the after
THE CHILD'S STORY.
"A 1oa, fro
the child herself She told her father that
after she started home to dinner, at 1870
o'clock. she met a strange man, who in
quired where she was going. When she
answered him he asked her to go home
with him for dinner saying that he would
take her back to school afterward. To this
she consented and they began their long
walk She said they did not ride on the
street cars. but walked the entire distance,
nearly seven miles. The cornfield into
which they finally turned is east of Leba-
non and north of Clifford avenue, just
south of Brightwood. Springers house.
where she crawled for refuge, is quite
Determined efforts are being made for the
mans apprehension. The description the
child gives is rather vague Her assailant
she describes as a stocky man, dressed in
black wearing a black SLOUGH hat. He has
unshaven. man answering his general
description was seen Dy woman. lurking
in an alley in the vicinity of the school
shortly before II 80 O'Clock yesterday morn
ing, and if the police are fortunate enough
to make capture, she may be able to
identify the man. An effort made to
get a pair of bloodhoun0s TO put the
mans trail, but the man who owns the
only pair in this city was away in Cincin
natl when the superintendent clerk. John
Engle went to his house to secure his as
sistance last night. Superintendent Gel
bert Chief Splan and detectives Kinney
and Thornton We're working on the case
until late last night.
Matron Buchanan and the father took the
little one home, where the mothers grief
was pitiable. number of women in the
neighborhood came TO the house and Of
fered their assistance. but there was not
much they could do.
Many muddy compilations are caused by
coffee and tea drinking Postum ('areal