The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-03-12
NEARLY A MURDER
Tom Lytle Attempted to Cut the Throat
Of a Blind Negro and He Very
Nearly Succeeded.
The Criminal Was Examined Monday
and Held to May Term Of Circuit
Court in Heavy Bonds.
THE FIRE COMPANY
THE FIRE COMPANY
The Boys Hold Their Annual Election O.
Officers, Which Event is Always
a Big Affair.
AN ATTEMPT AT MURDER.
WIN. Patterson, a Blind Negro, Barely E.
capes Having His Jugular Vein Cut.

WIN. Patterson, n Blind Negro, Barely e.
capes Having His Jugular Vein Cut.
A disgraceful affair Occur red in Nc
Dermaid's saloon the carly part of We'd
nesday evening last week when Tom
Lytle, known as ''Reddy," made an at
tempt to cut the throat Of VIM. Patter-
son, blind negro, without any appar-
ent cause other than pure devilishness.
AT the time the murderous act was
committed there were but three or
four parties in the saloon, Steve Nc
Dermaid and Charlie Munger being
behind the bar. From an eye witness
of the affair the following information
was secured. 1t was about S:45 when
the fracas commenced and didn't last q
minute. Reddy and the negro were
standing by the bar, about five feet
apart. and the conversation was gen
eral, nothing OF disturbing character
was said, when without any warning
whatever, Reddy stepped up to the neg
ro with the knife in his hand and made
two vicious slashes at him with the
deadly instrument, intlicting a terrible,
ugly looking cash reaching from the
chin on the left side of the face around
behind his ear, barely missing the jug.
ular vein. Another cut was made on his
hand which nearly severed the thumb
20 tho nnp1rDitta6
Reddy walked out of the south door
and as he still held the bloody knife
in his hand none of the parties cared tc
interfere with his departure. After
the negro was assaulted he started tc
walk around the room and fell to the
floor. the blood flowing on the floor
He was picked up and placed on chair
and an effort made to prevent the flow
OF blood. The floor OF the south side
of the room presented fearful sight,
pools and spatters of blood nearly COW
ering the surface. DR.. Dundas was call
ed and fixed up the woud so that the neg.
70 could be moved to his home, where he
passed very bad night, it being nearly
impossible to stop the blood from flow
ing.
After Reddy's departure he went out
on Main street, walked around awhile
and 10 minutes after returned to the
saloon and looked at his victim, still
having the knife in his hand. Ready
picked up his overshoes, put them on
and went out of the building onto Main
street. He went into an adjoining
store bought some tobacco and then
disappeared. Jack Kelley went to the
auditors office and notified Policeman
Gardiner of the trouble. The police.
man, however, instead of going to the
saloon went TO the court house for as
sistance Sheriff Cook sent him tc
get deputy and started down town tc
hunt up Lytle and finding him on Law
ler street. arrested and placed him in
Jail. Quite a large crowd collected al
the saloon as soon as the news OF the
affair had spread around, some o.
Wt1Ou lOIluCu POI ~ w oooAoo oAS
sheriff in catching the perpetrator o.
the crime.
There seems to be bad blood between
Reddy and the negro from all accounts
1t was stated that some years ago they
we're both former residents of Coving
ton, the tough place across from Siou,
City, and while there they had some
trouble. 1t is believed by some tina
the attack made by Reddy was the re
suit of an old grudge, yet it was
cowardly act to strike man who wal
practically defence]ess in the blindness
The REPUBLICAN representative Wis
tied Reddy at the Jail to see if he hae
anything to say concerning the affair
but he refused to discuss matters il
any way. When arrested it wa
noticed that deep cash was cut il
Reddys chin and it was presumed some
body got whack at him with a knife
but he said that he fell down when h
came out of the saloon and cut himsel
on nail or piece of ice.
Lytle has been around town most al
the winter and has worked on tn
Milwaukee snow gang. 1t was state'
that when Reddy committed the dec
lthat he had been drinking and wa