The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-04
MYSTERY CLEARS UP
HAZEL PARK SENSATION IS Ex-
planned BY THE ISSUANCE OF
A WARRANT
AGAINST MICHAEL NEEDHAM.
MARGARET LAMB ACCUSES HIM OF
Assault WITH CRIMINAL IN
TENT
WHICH HE DENIES ABSOLUTELY.
His Cuts and Bruises Explained by
His Being Thrown From His
Buggy.
WHICH HE DENIES ABSOLUTELY

His Being Thrown From His
Buggy.
The mystery surrounding the finding
of Margaret Lamb in the vicinity or
Hazel Park at an early hour yesterday
morning, with her clothing torn, her
face cut and her general appearance
testifying that she had undergone d
desperate struggle, was cleared away
yesterday, when the young woman
lodged formal complaint against Mich
ael Needham, the young man arrested
charging him with assault with GRIM
inal intent. Her disheveled appear
ance, the girl claims, was a result OF
her successful fight to. protect hei
honor.
According to the girls story Of her
experience she, in company with ali
older sister. met George Bevans and
James Needham, the latter a brother
OF the man under arrest, near her home
on Fifth street about $3.50 o'clock in the
evening. The men were in a single
buggy, and Needham, the girl says,
asked her to take ride around the
block. Bevens got out Of the buggy
and stood talking to the sister while
Margaret Lamb stepped into the buggy
and drove off with Needham, who said
he would be back in a short time.
Needham and she Miss Lamb relates,
rode about until shortly after 10 O'Clock,
when he stopped the horse at Seventh
and Pine streets, saying he wanted to
get cigar. When Needham had en-
tered the place for cigar, according to
the girl, his brother, Michael Needhanl
appeared beside the buggy and said
that her former companion had told
him to take her for a. drive. She made
no objection, she says, because the
Needham family lives across the street
from her home and she had known both
boys for years.
The couple drove out across the
Lafayette avenue bridge and about the
east end Of the city for several hours,
Miss Lamb says, and finally lost their
way. A house was found, however,
and inquiry made as to the way to re-
turn. Needham, the girl says, forced
her to get out and arouse the inmates,
saying he was afraid of dogs. The
horse was then driven to a clump Of
woods some distance from the house,
according to the statement Of Miss
Lamb, when Needham stopped and got
out Of the buggy and attempted to drag
her to the ground. Realizing her
danger, Miss Lamb grabbed the whip
and with the loaded butt struck Need
ham across the head. Then began
desperate struggle, the young woman
says, in which she. fought, scratched,
bit and screamed in defense of her
honor. She was pulled from the car
riage she says, and pushed to the
ground. She struck Needham with the
whip. Her screams brought an an
swering call from the house which they
had just2left and then Needham ceased
his attack and offered to take her back
to the city if she would promise to say
nothing of what had happened. This
the girls refused to do and broke from
his grasp and ran toward the house.
Needham then drove toward the city,
being intercepted by Officer Hanson and
taken to the Margaret street station
The girl was found half an hour later
resident of the vicinity with whom she
had taken refuge.
Needham absolutely denies the girls
story as to the assault. He admits the
story of the drive, but claims the girl
received the marks on her face by fall
ing into the gutter in returning to the
buggy after inquiring the way back to
town. The scratches on his own face
and the torn places in his Clothes
Needham claims to have received by
falling from the buggy as the result of
was not ready for trial yesterday and
secured a continuance until this morn
ing at 9 o'clock.
The manner in which the police be-
gan an investigation of the case is
something of a coincidence. When the
buggy was missed from Seventh and
Pine streets by James Needham, he in
and the latter notified Moorhead's liv-
cry stable, where the horse and car
riage had been hired, that it had been
stolen. The police did not get the
name Of Bevans clearly at first, but
mixed it up with that of Hayden
There was no Hayden connected with
the affair, it turned out.
When it was learned that woman
had also disappeared in the buggy,
Capt. Rouleau feared a murder might
have been committed. and issued in
structions to find the carriage under
any circumstances. It was the de-
scription of the horse and buggy sent
out from the central station which
caused officer Hanson to stop Need
ham, after hearing Miss Lambs cries,
as he recognized it as the supposedly
stolen outfit. The horse and buggy
was returned to it's owner yesterday.
Miss Lamb is, the. sixteen ear-old
daughter of Patrick Lamb, living at
1852 East Fifth street, and is not, as
was first supposed yesterday. the wom-
an whose name was connected with
the Lake Elmo murder mystery. Miss
Lamb bears good reputation, and
was just getting strong again after a
long illness when called upon to UNDER
go her experience of yesterday morn
ing. She was still somewhat. hysterl-
cal yesterday afternoon but. aside from
the nervous shock and the rough hand
ling she claims to have received, is
uninjured-
Where Fishing Is Good.
Those looking for the best fishing
grounds are reminded of Lake Tetonka
at Waterville, and Madison Lake, on
g. Dol