The age-herald., 1898-03-22
ARRESTED ON A
 SERIOUS CHARGE Jerry SCrOssinS, a HOtOrman, on the
 ElytOn Electric Line PLACED IN THE COUNTY JAIL Charged With Having Committed a CFiM- inal Assault Upon Laura MenaScO AT EAST LAKE LAST FRIDAY NIGHT Policeman E. F. Menasco, Father of the Girl, Swore Out the Warrant-Scrogglns
 Says That It Is a Scheme to
 Get Him ln Trouble.

Jerry Scroggfns, a motorman on the Ely ton electric line is confined in the county jail on @ serious charge.
 Scroggins was arrested yesterday after noon at 2:30 o'clock while on his car at the corner of Second avenue and Twentieth streeb by Deputy Constable J. F. Gleason, on warrant out of the court of Justice I. H. Benners charging him with criminal assault upon Laura Menasco. the 1S-year- old daughter of Officer E. F. Menasco of the Birmingham police force.
 The warrant was sworn out by the father of the girl and placed in the hands of Con- stable Gleason who found Scroggins on his car as 1t passed the above mentioned corner
 The alleged assault Is said to have taken place at East Lake on Friday evening last, about o'clock.
 Scroggdns denies his guilt and says that 1t is concocted scheme to force him to marry the girl.
 The Fathers Statement
 D. F. Menasco, the father of the girl, was seen by an AgetHerald reporter yes terday afternoon and said:
 "Scroggdns come to my house Friday night to take my daughter Laura to the opera house. He told her when they got to the theater that the house was crowded and that>he could not get seats ana pro posed that they go to East Lake, wmcn they did.
 sWhen they got to the Lake the con ductor told them that the car would only como back as far as the shed ana they got off to wait for the next.
 s'As soon as the car left, my daughter says that Scroggins dragged her to one side and made a criminal assault upon her:
 ''They came back together and as soon as she got home she tainted.
 "The girls clothes were badly torn and she told her mother what had occurred. Scroggins attempted to explain, but my wife would not listen to him and told him to leave the house. I swore out a warrant for him this morning and shall prosecute the case"
 Scroggins' Side
 scrogeins was seen at the county jail by an Herald reporter yesterday after noon shortly after his incarceration.
 ''The whole thing is scheme to get me In trouble" said he. 'I am not guilty or the charge. Friday afternoon l met the girl on the street and walked along with her She asked me to come to the house at night, and later in the evening, nearing that William Jordan had been hurt by 1ail- ing from the repair wagon while nxing a break on the East Lake line 1 started out to see him and met the young lady at the corner of Avenue D and Twentieth street. She asked me if I was going to her home and I told her that was going out to see Jordan. She insisted and said she would go back with me, which she did We start ed to the theater and found that all the seats in the dress circle back to the fifth row had been sold and decided to go 10 East Lake, which we did. Coming back on the car she laughed and talked with several friends whom we both knew and not until we got near her home did she make any complaint.
 An Angry Brother
 "Her bother called to see me Saturday morning and stated he knew his sister was n little flip and that he had not lived at home for some time, but that 1t was his duty to protect his sister. He told me that if I would marry the girl 1t would be all right and that unless did he would shoot me on sight"
 The preliminary hearing has been set for 10 o'clock this morning in Justice Ben ners' court in Twentieth street, between First and Second avenues.
 Scroggins has retained Attorney B. M; Allen to defend him and says that he wiii he able to prove his innocence.