Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-14
Special 10 the REGISTER.

Special to the Register.
Parkersburg, W. Va. March ia
most fendish and brutal assault was
committed at Petroleum last night:
The ah-ir occurred at the Gordon
house, right near the depot, and the
details are about as follows:
Between eight and nine o'clock a
villainous looking tramp entered the
house. All the members of the family
except Miss Ella Gordon and
little nephew were absent ut church.
The tramp, in passing through the
lower part of the house, made a slight
noise. which attracted Miss Gordon
who came down to investigate the
cause. She descended to the HAN
way and was about to enter the dining
room when the tramp, who was in hid
ing, grabbed her and prevented her
making an cutlery by placing his hand
over her mouth She struggled to
free herself. but the tramp managed
to get hold of her handkerchief. which
ne thrust into her mouth. using great
violence. He then pulled stout
tWlne from his pocket and tied the
gag securely, also tied her hands be-
hind her, During all this time Miss
Gordon struggled violently, but being
very delicate, she was no match for
her burly assailant.
The little nephew, hearing the noise
below, began screaming, and the tramp
left the house, snatching a purse off
the mantel as he went out The purse
was empty, but the one lying beside
it, which he left, contained $50
Miss Gordon. as soon as she was
able, rushed to the Office of ID. NJ.
Sharpnack. where she tainted. The
gag was removed and blood flowed
from her mouth. AS soon as she re-
viyed sufficiently she told her story
and gave a description of her assail-
ant. He had been seen in the village
earlier in the day and search was
Immediately made for him. He was
discovered on a weSt-bound freight
which had stopped there for orders,
but jumped off ard took TO the woods
but 1t is believed that he either board
ed the same train again or caught
another coming to this city.
A good description is given OF Miss
Gordon's assailant He is about 40
years of age, feet or 8 inches in
height, his face covered with brown
whiskers about two inches in length.
He wore a tattered coat of brown
goods, with trousers of lighter color;
high laced shoes, covered with mud,
and large SLOUGH hat.
Miss Gordon, who is a school teach
er, is well known in this city. where
she has a number of friends and
where she expects to visit this week
She recently returned from the south
where she had taken a trip for the
benefit of her health. She is in a very
serious condition and fears are enter
tanned that the shock will prove fatal.
A man answering the description OF
Miss Gordons assailant arrived here
on a freight train before the police
received word of the assault. The OFF,
GERS brought in several tramps. but
none of them answered the descrip-
ton.
1t was first reported that Miss Cor
don had been criminally assaulted, but
such was not the case. She says that
when she first went down stairs the
tramp asked her for money and when
refused he struck her in the mouth
with his fist and afterwards bound and
gagged her. The cries Of her nephew
frightened him away before he succeed
ed in getting anything of value.
The police are shadowing a man
here tonight suspected Of the crime
and his arrest will probably take place
before morning They are investigat-
ing whether he returned from the east
during the night. A posse Of Petrole-
um citizens and officers are also pnr-
suing a tramp up Hughes River. who
answers the description OF Miss Cor
don's assailant.