The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-01-16
MIDNIGHT
OUTRAGE |
InOtfenSiye Man and Wife Brutally
Assaulted In heir Home.
THREE THUGS ATTACKED THEM
Both Suffered a Terrible Beating Black
jack and Revolver Used on the Hus-
band-Robbery the Motive,
But Nothing Secured

One Of the most outrageous acts recorded
on the local police dockets in some time was
perpetrated late Saturday night by four
Lithuanian thugs at the house Of Moses
Frezinski. at the corner Of Catherine street
and Strawberry alley. The house is isolated
and the surroundings are very favorable for
such occurrences as that which took place.
Frezinski keeps a butcher shop on Gilbert
street. He arrived home shortly before mid.
night with SIPS, the receipts of his days
sales The money was turned over to his
wife, who put it away for safekeeping Mrs.
Frezinski went upstairs and her husband
took seat at a table at the eastern end of
the kitchen. The entrance from the yard to
the kitchen is at the southwestern end Of the
room. The stairway leading to the floor
above is directly opposite the entrance.
Frezinski had hardly seated himself at the
table when the rear door, which had been
left unlocked, was opened aud young man
entered. The stranger rushed across the
room and grabbed Frezinski, who did not
have time to leave his chair at the throat
At the same time the intruder, while retain
ing his hold with his left hand on Freznski's
throat, drew a blackjack and beat his victim
over the head. Meanwhile two other young
men entered and one thrust a revolver at
Freznskis face The latter was also struck
across the nose with the weapon. Nothing
was said during the scene.
Frezinski got upon his feet, and while he
was trying to beat off bis assailants, he cried
for help. His wife hurried down the stair
way to the kitchen, and as she entered the
room, the third man seized and rushed her
back against the wall There he dealt her a
fearful blow with his fist on the left eve
bruising it terribly. At the same time he
repeatedly jabbed her body with his knee
Unlike most women, Mrs. Frezinski did not
faint, but showed fight and finally broke
away from her assailant Meanwhile her
ten-year-old son, Simon, had descended the
stairway to the kitchen, but he was not
mOlested.
While his wife was being assaulted, two 81
the men had forced Frezinski back from the
kitchen into the front room, and in the
darkness they beat him numerically with a
blackjack and revolver Finally they gave
him push that sent him sprawling upon his
back and his head struck a jar with great
force, splitting open the scalp. Mrs.
Frezinski ran mp stairs after breaking away
from her assailaut aud shouted for help from
an open window. The two men who had
been beating Frezinski re-entered the
them, who hurriedly left the house with one
of his companions. The third man made a
hasty search of sideboard drawer, and then
ran from the house He secured no booty.
Frezirski Joined his wife upstairs in shout
ing for the police and Policeman Foyle re-
sponded, but the three assailants with one
who stood guard outside, had disappeared
and could not be traced.
IlE ipt1 a,A l..
dressed Frezinski's badly lacerated scalp
While the injuries are serious, they are not
dangerous.
Frezinski was of the opinion that the out
rage was perpetrated in a spirit of revenge.
All the assailants were Lithuanians and
Frezinski had Lithuanian arrested last
week for assault and battery. The case was
settled on payment of costs, The police,
however believe that robbery was the mo-
tive. They believe Frezinski was followed
from his butcher shop.
Upon the Identification made by the boy,
Moses Frezinski, Policemen Hurley and
Uraitis and Conatable ROlin prepared them
selves for an arrest. At two O'Clock this
morning they took Alex. Wicznofski from his
bed at his boarding house on West Raspberry
alley and locked him up. At ten o'clock this
morning the prisoner was arraigned before
Justice Shoemaker, The boy positively
identified him as one of Frezinski's assailants.
The latter could not be positive. He said his
eyes were filled with blood during the assault
and he could not identity the prisoner. Mrs.
Frezinski was quite sure Wicznofski was one
of the men, but not positive. This was due
to the excitement under which the woman
labored at time of the assault.
WicznOfski pleaded not guilty. He set up
an alibi and claimed to be able to prove that
he was in bed at his boarding house at the
time the outrage was perpetrated. He was
committed without bail. No other arrests
have been made in connection with the case
Constable Bolin was on guard at the Frezinski
house last night, armed with a double-barrel
shot gun, but was not called upon to act.
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