The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-13
CLEWS TO THE CRIMINAL
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MRS. SOPHIE
EATON ASSAULT CASE.
The Victim Has Her SuspicIOns-Five
Other People Saw the MuIatto
at the Bridge.

A number of startling facts have come into
the possession of the police which may aid
them in capturing the muatto who assault
ed Mrs. Sophie Eaton, the young wife of
Claude w. Eaton, a carpenter, residing at
2SN London avenue, Friday night. 1t is
known positively that five persons besides
Mrs. Eaton saw the fellow, or one very
closely answering the description she gives
of him, within less than half an hour be-
fore the crime against her was committed.
Within stones throw Of the Eaton home
lives Mrs. Lola Reisner, on Berlin avenue.
Friday afternoon she drove down town.
About $40 o'clock she was driving toward
nome on Capitol avenue. Just as her horse
stepped on the bridge across Fall creek a
mulatto, about nve feet eight or nine inches
in height, sprang from a fire plug on the
south side of the bridge, where he was sit
ting, with an umbrella over his head to
protect him from the drizzling rain He
made lunge at Mrs. Reisner as if to drag
her from the buggy. Almost beside herself
with terror, Mrs. Reisner laid the whip to
her horse with frantic will. She shrank
to the opposite side of the seat Just in time
to avoid long yellow hand that was ex-
tended toward her. The mulatto laid hold
of the back wheel of the buggy intending,
apparently, to stop her on the bridge and
drag her to the ground and off down into
the wild spot where, few moments later,
Mrs. Eaton became his prey Frightened
by the sudden application Of Mrs. Reisner's
whip, the horse she was driving gave q
bound and the wheel was torn from the
mulatto's grasp. 1t all happened in an in
slant, and Mrs. Reisner was so badly fright
ened and anxious to escape from the i'm
pending danger that she received but a
faint impression of the fellow Her descrip-
ton, however, corresponds to degree with
that given by Mrs. Eaton: a negro of yellow
complexion, wearing light overcoat, dark
suit, brown tinge; light cap like bicyclists
wear, standing collar and carrying an UNI
brella. Mrs. Reisner had scarcely got home
and related her story when word came of
the assault on Mrs. Eaton. From the time
between Mrs. Reisners arrival home and
the commission of the crime but few
minutes eIapsed
ATTACKED ANOTHER WOMAN.
Mrs. Rei&ier was not the only one who
saw the mulatto sitting on the fire plug at
Fall creek bridge, less than half a square
north of where Mrs. Eaton says she was
assaulted. About o'clock, or perhaps a
few minutes later, just a short time be-
fore Mrs. Reisner was waylaid, Charles
Walters, boy of twelve or thirteen years
with companion of his own age, was
crossing the Fall creek bridge, going to the
south. The lad lives on Senate avenue, be-
tween old Twelfth and Thirteenth streets
There is no bridge over the creek at Senate
avenue, and, after crossing the creek at
Capitol avenue, it was the boys intention to
turn west at old Thirteenth street. As he
l. t..
of the bridge they saw a mulatto--same de-
scription as that given by Mrs. Reisner and
Mrs. Eaton-sitting on a fire plug Near
him were two young colored girls. The girls
gave the boys dare and the latter APP
preached them with gravel and mud in their
hands Quite fusilade passed between
the belligerent white boys and colored girls
After it had lasted several minutes the mu-
latto arose. and, in an angry voice, ordered
them all to be gone. They scattered. From
suspicious Mrs. Eaton now has, she be-
lieves that the man knew she was about
wait for her. and that he wanted the young
sters out of the way.
Charles Walters and his companion have
told the police that they did not know the
mulatto nor the colored girls, although they
guided to the girls home by the boy. What
information, if any, the police received is
not divulged, but neighbors say that the
two little girls were almost frightened out
of their wits by the appearance of the po-
licemen. With these facts in their possess
sion, the police believe that if Mrs Eaton's
assailant is apprehended there will be no
diff1culty in his Identification. The police
would be glad of any information that
would lead to the location of the colored
man who sat on that fire plug at least half
an hour last Friday night, part of the time
holding an umbrella over his head 1t was
not raining when the miniature battle be-
tween the white urchins and little colored
girls occurred, but little Charles Walters
says that 1T was raining before he reached
away.
Ali these facts have been related to Mrs.
Eaton in the last twenty-four hours, and
were by her duly communicated to the po-
MRS. EATONS Suspicious.
Yes; have suspicious as to who the col
ored man was said Mrs. Eaton yesterday
afternoon, when discussing the affair, land
hope that he will be found. think 1 saw
him once before"
Under what circumstances?
lit may have been three weeks ago, or it
may have been little longer than that,
when l started down to my cousins. house,
where l was Friday afternoon. Just below
Newport's house, on Capitol avenue, almost
opposite Kissers, / saw a yellow colored
man talking to a white woman. Since the
man grabbed me last Friday night l have
suspected that he was the same man l saw
that day in passing
do you know who he wasp
mo, but the Woman'S name is known, and
they may be able to learn to whom she was
talking. He was about the same height as
the man who grabbed me, and of about the
same complexion"
1t is possible that Mrs. Eatons asssailant
was negro who had observed her crossing
the Capitol-avenue bridge frequently about
supper time, and who determined to take
advantage of a favorable opportunity to
drag her over into the commons, where she
says he took her last Friday night
BROUGHT TO BE IDENTIFIED.
Mrs. Eaton was perfectly calm and col
lected as she talked yesterday afternoon.
She told how the police had arrested a coll
ored man the night before and brought him
to her house for Identification. He seemed
larger, darker and had thicker lips than her
assailant. Like the mulatto of Friday
nights adventure, he wore a cap, but it
was of plush, while Mrs. Eaton is positive
the former had 81 light bicycle cap" with
a front flap to pull down. Il heard after
ward that the man they arrested had an
other cap, which they failed to get. / am
sorry of that"
Mrs. Eaton says that, aside from a vel
veteen band at the bottom of her skirt.