The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-31
AGAINST HER WILL
YOUNG GIRL HELD CAPTIVE BY
SODA WATER CLERK.
CHARGES OF ASSAULT.
HUGH A. CLEFT BEATEN BY GIRLS
RELATIVES AND ARRESTED.

BrOughton Streef-CIiett Claims
That the Girl TmpIored Him to
Take Her on the Lark, While She
Alleges That She Was Forced TO
Accompany Him at the Point of n
Knffe-The Girls Relatives
Searched for Her During the Night
and After Several Trips in Search
of Marriage Certificate CIiett
Was Knocked Out in Perry Lane.
Grfeves Over His Bruised Face
More Than About the Case Against
Him.
Hugh A. Cleft, young man from
Fort Valley, and who, until quite re-
Gently was a soda water clerk at Liv-
ingston's downtown pharmacy, is in
the police station on a charge of at
tempting to commit a criminal assault
upon a pretty 15-year-old girl. The
crime is alleged to have been commit
ted in the Palmetto House Monday
night, and the arrest was made after
a series of incidents yesterday fore
noon. Both Cleft and the girl tell i'm
probable stories, and an uncolored ac-
The girl is quite attractive and was
member of the Tabernacle choir dur
ing the time Evangelist Sam Jones was
in Savannah.
Not only is Cleft a prisoner at the
police station with a serious charge
over his head, but he has an ugly
wound on the face, and his clothes are
torn and blood-stained. He was as
saulted by a brother and brother-in-
law of the girl in Perry lane, in the
rear of the Masonic Temple Pharmacy,
and the wound on his face was made
with a brick, in the hands of the
brother of the girl. The missile broke
on Clietts nose and mouth, making
severe cut. Police Surgeon Osborne
was called to the prisoner.
The young man appears to worry
more about the wound than the
charges that have been entered against
him. He is not bad looking and ex-
pressed fear, after his arrest, that he
would be marked for life, not because
of the alleged crime, but because of
the wound. 1t annoyed him greatly,
and he was pereeptibly relieved when
told that the scar will probably not re-
main with him always to mar his
beauty. This information seemed to
sooth him more than the balm placed
on the swollen and bleeding lip.
Cliett left the girls house with her
early Monday night to go to the Ma
sonic Temple Pharmacy for soda water
This he did. and the trip was made
around the corner to Liberty and Whit
aker streets without incident From
there the couple went to the De Soto
Pharmacy, and thence to Conida's on
Bull street. Although only three places
were visited the trip consumed consid-
cradle time and it was rather late
when the couple started back for the
girls house. They reached Ebert
square, on Montgomery street. and the
first act of the drama was played in
the square. Just what the perfor-
Snce was is not positive
ly known. Cleft says one thing
and the girl makes a statement alto
gether different.
Cliett says that the girl stopped sud
denly in the middle of the square, and
declared that it was too late to return
home. She wanted him to take her
they go to some hotel. Cleft said he
had been intimate with her on other
occasions, and that when she insisted
upon his accompanying her to some
place other than her home he readily
agreed. He had little reason to sus-
pect that the frolic would end serious
ly, and after she had several times ex-
pressed a desire to return down town
he consented According to his version,
Of Av-A Of h. ct. Il -
the advances, which was by no means
surprising to him.
The young woman says that the sud-
den change in front was made by Cliett
and, too, without the slightest warning.
They had been going along as quietly
as could be, probably discussing De-
Voc. and the weather conditions, when
Cliett whipped out knife and threat
ened to cut her throat unless she re-
turned to hotel with him. The girl
pictured herself almost in Mysteries.
and frightened out of her wits. To
her 1t was a case of instant death, or
the loss of her honor, and she decided
to take chance with the latter. After
all there might be some escape while
to refuse at once would only make her
escort the more angry and might cost
her life. While at times, apparently
under the influence of some drug, or
powerful stimulant. Cleft had spoken
rashly the girl did not suspect that he
would attempt violence. and she was
not disposed to resist his efforts TO
any very large extent.
The trip from the square to the
Florida House. on Broughton street.
where the first stop was made, was
something of a light opera, according
to Cleft. while according to the girl
it threatened to be a tragedy at ev-
cry step. The man said they laughed
and joked. There were pedestrians on
the streets in numbers, but the blade
of her escorts knife warned her that
silence was her only salvation.
Cleft says that they had been at the
Florida House some three or four min
utes when an elderly woman entered
and stated that they could not spend
the night In her place When asked
the reason, the woman stated that the
questioner knew well enough. Cleft
declared that his companion drew her
self up. and told the woman that she
was his wife. The girl gives an en-
tirely different picture OF the scene I'm
the first room they entered.
She declared that when they had
gotten In the place she seemed TO wake
from her almost stupid condition, and
resisted the efforts Of the man. She
scufiled. and fought. with him m the
room. and the noise attracted the At
tention OF the proprietress The pair
left the Florida House and went 20
the Palmetto House whore they reg