The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1902-11-08
GIRL BRU1AuY MURDERED
A Most Dastardly Crime Committed
Within Few Miles of
Little Rock.
VICTIM FOUGHT DESPERATELY FO3 LIFE
Two Suspects Arr.sted, but Escaped Alter
Woundins an OGicer-Psople Within .
Radius OF Fifty Miles on Lookout for
the Fiend-Murdsrsd Girl Member Of
Prominent Family.

MISS Florence bnlllcutt, aged ~
years, was found dead with her throat
cut near the home of her father, five
miles from Little Rock. October 20.
Her body was terribly mutilated, and
the surroundings showed that she had
a desperate struggle with her fendish
murderer. Miss Shllcutt, whose fam.
lily is one Of the oldest and most high
ly respected in Pulaski county, left
her home about o'clock and went
to the home of her uncle, Mr.. Sulli-
van, on an errand. She was accom-.
panied by a little sister, who did not
return with her when she started
home, At point remote from any
house the brute attacked his victim.
She fought desperately and the strug.
gle seems to have been carried on in
running battle, but her strength was
not equal to the brute force of her as
sailant, and her body was found about
$50 yards from the spot where she was
first assaulted. 1t was lying face
downward in a pool of blood the clotL
ing being badly dlsarranged and scarce
ly spot was not covered with blood.
An examination disclosed the fact that
there had been no criminal assault
The father and uncle of the dead girl
discovered the body few hours after
the awful crime was committed. Mr..
Shillcutt and Mr.. Sullivan were hunt.
ing quail and came across the body &C
cidentally in an old field near the road
where she was first attacked. There
were evidences In the road and sew.
eral places In the field that terrible
struggle for life had been made by
Miss Shilcutt. There were footmarks
Of q girl and a man. The latter's track
indicated that he wore about number
eight shoe, square cut heel, and Of a
somewhat better make than is usually
worn by a farmer or negro when at
work. From the road the tracks led
to a point about fifteen steps into the
old field. Here had evidently occurred
another struggle and q few splotches
Of blood were found on the grass And
weeds. About fifty yards further TO-
ward the place where the body lay.
was the evidence Of another struggle
even nercer than the other two,
considerable pool OF blool was found
on the ground. Then, some distance
away was a place where the girl
seemed to hrve fallen. From that
place to where the body was found by
the father and uncle was track which
seemed to indicate that the human
hend had dragged his victim by the
heels and probably frightened out OF
his wits by his deed. had made but
little effort to conceal the body. The
clothing OF the young woman was bad
~ disarranged, but not torn. Her
skirt, waist, back and front, were COW
cred with her life blood, Besides the
two wounds on either side Of the neck,
about half way between the ear and
shoulder, and bruises about the body,
was one in the right hand, whore a
pocket knife had been thrust entirely
through, probably in one OF the several
struggles which took place before I'M
consciousness came, Several suspects
were arrested, among them a young
man named Earl knight, who had been
keeping company with Miss shillcutt,
INIT ne had little trouble In proving his
Innocence. Several others have been
arrested. The news OF the awful crime
caused the greatest excitement
Ollcors Henry NowlIn and Josh
Harp arrested two negro suspects at
n railroad camp near Palarm, and
while searching them one OF the prls'
oners shot NowlIn In the foot and both
escaped. II IL believed the negro who
ehot NowlIn Is either the murderer or
Miss shIllcutt or IL guilty OF some
other crime, His clothing was torn
In certain places, and the officers think
,hoy detected blood stains on his shirt
n, this however. they are not sure,
os ,hoy were prevented from making
close examination, Posses are scour.
,nr tho woods In every direction, and
mo two parties who escaped from Now
lin and Harp can hardly get away,
whom tho news Of the shooting reached
II,,lc Rock crowds began to gather
armed with pistols and Winchesters'
win tho determination 10 lynch the
guilty party Ia brought to the city
Father charged win sons MURDER
Pleasant sprading, OF lneh' ny" -
under arrest, charged with the murder
oi his four-year.old SON. Ilis three
daughters claim to have witnessed
the tragedy, and say he Kicked the
how 10 death because he peeled bark
of tree.
Iadorsed NJ Operators.
The movement for a Kentucky
building and Kentucky exhibits at the
| a.. ii lvarid,u fnir Ia 1904 WnH NV.