Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-04
An Unknown Person Assaults
Mrs. Helen Gilfllen.
VICTIM IS UNCONSCIOUS
Is Suffering From Injuries Sustained
in Struggle With ntruders at Home
of Her Sister, Mrs. John Healy, $50
West Fourth Street.
[From Wednesdays Dally.l

UNCONSCIOUS ana bearing upon hef
throat the marks of the fingers of
someone who must possess the charac-
teristics of iend incarnate, Mrs.
Helen Gilfillen, a sister of Mrs John
Healy, was found at the Healy resi-
dence last night by Mr.. and Mrs.
Healy when they returned home after
an absence of an hour and half. Mrs.
Glltillen is still unconscious and it is
feared by some that she may never re-
cover to tell the story of one of the
most frightful and cowardly crimes
committed in Ottumwa in several
years. However, her life is not de-
SPARED Of by her physician, and there
are hopes that she may recover and be
the means of bringing to justice the
man who attacked her and beat her
into insensibility. No motive for the
crime is known.
Was Weak Physically.
Mrs. Gilfillen's home is in Hannibal,
Mo-, although she has been visiting
her sister, Mrs. Healy, for the past
three or four months. Her former
name was Miss Helen Moore, and she
was married to Harry Gilfillen, of
Hannibal, a conductor on the Hanni-
bal & st. Joe railroad, but obtained a
divorce from him several months
since. About two years ago she suf-
fered stroke of paralysis and has
been weak physically since that time,
although her condition has been i'm
proving since she came to Ottumwa.
Family Not at Home.
Last evening, at about 80 o'clock,
Nv. hHrf, t,, Lee
a call upon some friends, leaving Mrs
Gilfillen at home as they had done sew
eral times before. Mr.. and Mrs.
Healy's little son was asleep in the
second story Of the house. When
they returned, at about 10 O'Clock, they
were Mortified to find the apparently
inanimate body of Mrs Gilfillen lying
on the floor at the foot OF the stairs
leading from the first floor to the sec
ond floor. About her face was mans
handkerchief, tied loosely, and her
condition showed that she had been
treated shamefully. Her face and
hands were scratched and she was
bruised about the body, as if she had
fallen or been thrown or dragged down
the fight OF stairs.
All attempts to rouse the unfortu-
nate woman were Intellectual, and she
was conveyed to her room and doc
tor summoned. Later Mrs. Gilfillen
lee anne partially conscious, but appar-
c1tly the shock has temporarily I'M
balanced her mind and she is unable
t. recognize anyone. During the day
she has seemed to regain conscious
ness at tines, but only for few sec
cEds, ana has not at any time been
able to make an intelligent statement
regarding the sad affair.
Was in Kitchen.
Indications are that Mrs. Gilfillen
was ironing in the kitchen at the
Healy home just before the unhappy
event occurred. The fire was burning
when Mr.. and Mrs. Healy returned
home and the irons were upon the
stove. However, nothing was disturb
ed there, but upstairs, where
it is evident the struggle took place,
everything was disarranged. Dresser
drawers We're removed and their con-
tents, together with those of clothes
closets, were strewn about the rooms.
However, nothing is missing, although
a valuable sealskin coat and other ar
ticles worth the consideration of a
burglar, were IN plain sight.
Theory as to Crime.
Mr.. Healy, after investigating
the matter, has come to the conclu-
sion that Mrs. Gilfillen, working in the
kitchen, was attracted by noise on
the second floor of the house and went
to investigate, when she was attacked.
An electric switch controlling the
lights in the second story, was turned
on when MI. and Mrs. Healy arrived
at home, and it is evident that as Mrs.
Gilfillen went up stairs she threw this
switch, which is near the foot of the
stairs. 1t is supposed that she went
up stairs and was confronted by the
intruder or intruders, who, Mr.. Healy
thinks, had gained entrance to the
house and were ransacking it when
the noise they made reached Mrs. Gil
fillen's ears in the kitchen below.
1t is evident that struggle occurred
as Mrs. Gilfillen's hands, arm, and
body bear scratches and bruses She
was rendered insensible by choking,
and when found the marks of fingers
could still be seen on her throat Her
hands were not bound, so it seems
that she was insensible before the
handkerchief which was arranged as
a gag, was tied about her face Other
wise, her hands being free, she could,
if conscious, have united the gag.
Mystery as to Perpetrator.
Who the perpetrator of such 6
brutal crime could have been is almost
beyond comprehension. DR.. l.. J. Ba
ker. VINO was called to attend the unfor
tunate woman, states that as yet he
cannot say how serious her injuries
are, but that. he hopes for her ultimate
| recovery when she shall have gotten
over the effects OF the awful shock tc
her nervous system. Her case is al
the more serious. however, on account
of the fact that she was not well be
fore the occurrence.
| 1t is not known that Mrs. Gilfllen
has any enemies, although ii is report
ed that she had some trouble with her
| former husband before they separated
However, he has not been seen in OF
tumWa. so far as can be learned. The
police are working on the case hui
are practically in the dark pending the
| victims recovery sufficient to make q
4 statement, which may solve the entire