The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-05
4 BRUTAL ASSAULT.
A Woman Struck a
Cruel Blow.
IOais Roberts Arrested on a
SeriOus Charge.
Followed Mr.. Gertsnan
and His Wife.
And When the Man Protested
Roberts Struck the Woman.

About eleven O'Clock la1s night IA ex-
cited PARTY came into the police station.
There WAS a young woman in tears with
her mosth bleeding and her lips badly
cut and swollen. By her side was her
husband, young man whuss face was
pale With anger and WAC was so excited
and mad that he could hardly talk. The
objsct of his wrath was rather we'll
dressed and not had looking young man
who was held firmly in the grasp of Pa
trolman Gilbert Besides these there were
enc or two other men who had witnessed
the affsir and each one of them seemed
disposed to tell Deputy Chenery his story
first.
The woman was In Mysteries and bad
ly frightened, her husband, as has teea
said, almost too mad for utterance, while
the object Of their united wrath vainly
protested his Innocence In the face Of
what seemed to be overwhelming testi-
monY against him.
AS near as could be gathered by the po
lice the story told by the irate husband
was about as follows. He said that his
name was Harry Gerstman and that he
lived with his wife at 2l5 Cumberland
street. About half past ten o'clock last
night he went into the Woodbine.restau-
rant on Middle street with his wife to get
lunch. While they were In the restau-
rant two young men, whom they had
never seen before and did not know, came
in and sat down at table. One of these
men began to beckon to Mrs. Gerstman
and otherwise annoy her and finally he.
coming nervous and alarmed she induced
her husband to leave ths place. MIR.
Gerstman ana his wife walked up Temple
street and over Congress to Myrtle and
thence down TO Cumberland. Much to
the fear OF Mrs. Gerstman and the anger
of her husband the two young men, who
were in the restaurant followed them
along these streets whistling after them
and otherwise annoying them. Mrs.
Gsrstman is 10 delicate condition and
all of these things tended to excite and
alarm her very much. Finally on Cum
berland street Gerstman stopped and ac-
oosted the men.
He said: "If you consider yourselves
to be gentlemen you will not follow us
any further. What do you mean by this.
any wayf"
| without any provccation or further
words one OF these men drew off and
struck Mrs. Gsrstman cruel blow In the
mouth. Her husband sprapg at the brute
who had struck the woman and prevented
| him ttriking her second time. The as
sailant then turned and ran up Cum her-
land street as fast as he could ana his
companion also disappeared at tie same
time.
| Quite q crowd had witnessed this un.
provoked assault on the woman and ran
after the man who had struck the blow.
1t happened at this moment that Patrol.
man Gilbert was on Cumberland street
on his way home and he too took after
the man. After an exciting chass tn o
man turned up Wiimot street and ran
into the yard In the rear OF the house
next to johnson s. Lamhert's store and
hid in an out building. Here he was
found by the officer and the others who
had chased him and taken back to the
spot where Mrs Gerstman was al most In
| nysttFlcs ikom pain anu triBhb. Ane Wncls
party then went to the police station
where Gerstman lodged complain;
against the assailant Of his wife.
| The man gave his name as Louis Rob-
erts and said he was butcher on the
steamer Horatio Hall and his home was
in Springfl Nd, Mass. He denied that he
had STRUCK the woman but could not say
why he had followed 6erstman and his
wife nor why he had run when the wo.
man was struck Hs was perfectly sober
and had not been drinking.
| At this moment young man named
w. II. Fields came forward and said that
he had seem Roberts strike the woman
and attempt to strike her q seoond time
and then run away.
u q