The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-03-28
lack Smith Accused of Attempting to
Commit a Criminal Assault on
Miss Inger Arentzen.
SMITH DECLARES HIS INNOCENCE
Strong Evidence Against Him-Crime Was
Most Daring One and Caused
Great Excitement.

One of the most daStardly crime
ever committed IN this city was COM
mitted on Wednesday evening near The
corner of Wisconsin and Coneres
streets. when an unknown man at
tempted to make criminal assault on
Miss Inger Arentzen, daughter of DR..
Helen Harbert. Owing to the pluck
of the young lady and the timely ar
rival of a large crowd of people the
brute failed to accomplish his purpose
and Miss Arentzen escaped without
serious injury.
The assault was most daring one
and made as it was before the shadows
of twilight had changed to darkness,
| it caused great excitement, and had the
guilty man been located shortly after
| the news of the assault was heard about
the city, it would have gone very hard
with him, for indignant neighbors OF
the young lady were wrought up 10
pitch which BODIED evil for the wretch.
The assault occurred shortly after
six O'Clock. Miss Arentzen is en-
| p1oyed as stenographer in the office
of Justice J. C. Slater and her duties
detained her later than usual at the
office, so that it had begun to grow
dark when she started for her home.
For this reason she was walking very
rapidly and shortly after she had
turned from Main to Wisconsin street
she heard some one approaching be-
hind her. The young lady quickened
her step and the mysterious step be-
hind her quickened. She drew to one
side to allow the person to pass, but he
made no effort to pass, but kept on her
trail.
By the time the dark corner near the
Central school was reached Miss Ar
entzen was thoroughly frightened and
she started to hurry to her home at
| the end of the street, when all of
sudden she found herself grasped in
| the arms of bur1y man. The fellow
attempted to put his hands over her
mouth to prevent an outcry and breath
| ing words of insult into her ears, he
attempted to throw her to the puve-
ment.
Miss Arentzen made a terrible
struggle against the brute and man
aged to shout for help and large
crowd soon gathered and the man,
finding that he had been discovered in
his dastardly crime, started to run.
While a portion of the crowd that
| had gathered assisted Miss Arentzen
| TO her home a large number engaged
in a search for the man who had Sought
to assault her, but the fellow made
good his escape.
AS soon as possible the police Of the
city were notified Of the crime and
search was made for the man.
In the meantime man who was
suspected Of the crime went TO the
lome of the young lady and demanded
4dmittance and according to. the stoIy
If the young lady sought ito fix The
natter. up'. Later this anne man Of
iered himself for arrest, but in the
,1citement following the attempted
ssault, he managed to escape.
Jack Smith Charged With the Crime.
Shortly after O'Clock this morning
officer John Ortiz and Chief O'Hart
lrrested Jack Smith, a former polio
)ficer, and he was ,p1a ced i'll jail cha rgeo
Win the CI1ulG ;OIA1tA WoS 0:iCStSp
It his home and at the time OF his
arrest he put up a strong bluff, but i,
failed to terrify the officers. and he was
hurried off to jail. When he had been
placed behind The bars he decla Ted he
was innocent OF the charge, but he
spent restless night.
This morning Miss Arentzen posi-
/ Ga,;.h "a a n 11o
had attempted TO assault lel, and
stated that he was the man who had
come to her home later in the evening
| and attempted 10 Elk he matter rI>."
/ It is also STA ed that Smith went to the
| Office of Hans Harbcrt, Miss Arentzen's
step-father, aud asl. I'd that The case be
| settled.
Smith is we'll known in police circles
| Of the city and was once all officer. He
has been in the Justice courts many
times on long list Of petty o6eDses.
| He was recently arrested for stealing
a watch, but at the last term of the
circuit court the case was nollcd by Tie
district attorney. Smith was seen
about the spot where the attempted
assault occurred last evening, and it is
claimed that The case against him is
fully sustained by four witnesses, one
| of whom witnessed the assault.
| AS soon as the crime was reported to
to the police Smith was suspected. He
| offered himself for arrest, but later he
managed to e111de the officers, and the
chief and his men spent half The night
searching before they finally located
| the fellow at his own home.
johnson & Koh1er, the tai1ors, have
rented the building now occupied by
M. Hoag, and about April 1st, the
building will be opened as ladies
and gents tailoring par1or. Both the
/ managers of the new store have been