The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1902-11-27
ATT ACK.
Dwight BeDillon Assaulted and
Almost Killed.

Dwight BeDillon, one OF the delivery
boys employed in the Frank Glaze
grocery on High avenue, was cruelty
assaulted while in pursuit Of his labors
Saturday evening and was almost kill
ed by his unknown assaiIant. BeDil-
lion was at the rear of the store pre-
pairing to leave with a load of groc-
cries. AS he stepped from the door
he was struck on the head with a
piece of "two-by-four" pine timber
The blow was effective and the boy
fell in his tracks. A second blow was
struck after the lad had fallen. This
blow was received on the nose Just be-
low the eyes. The nose was cut in two
where the scantling was sharp edged
and mashed into the face so that it
was impossible to tell that any nose
had ever been on the face.
The assault occurred about $3.50
o'clock in the evening, and the noiso
of the blows was distinctly heard in
the store. Mr.. Glaze and his assist
ants hurried TO the rear of the place
thinking that something had disturbed
the horses and made them kick. As
they stepped from the door they found
young BeDillion, bathed in blood, lying
on the ground writhing in pain. He
was picked up and carried into the
store quite unconscious, but seeming
ly in terrible agony. DR.. B. o. Terrell
was called and dressed the wounds.
The nose was found to be mashed per-
fectly fiat, but there were no other in
juries so far as could be found.
The sufferer was taken to his home
on South D street and did not fully re-
cover consciousness until quite late
Sunday afternoon. The boy recollects
that he was struck twice, the blow in
the face being received after he had
lallen to the ground, but he has no
idea who the assailant was nor is he
able to describe the person or persons
concerned in the deed. He did not
see anyone.
Probable Clue.
Two lads about seventeen or nine
teen years Of age fastened into the
Turf saloon shortly after eight
o'clock Saturday night and said to
George Reese: Some fellow up there
by Nugent's has got long white club
and is looking for some one to hurt
them" The boys thought he was
about to do them violence and they
ran away and stopped at the Turf.
This is probably the man who hit Be
Dillon, for the assault was made at
just about this time. Reese left the
saloon Immediately and upon coming
to the corner he heard of the finding
of BeD1lion.
The injured boy is an inoffensiye,
quiet fellow who has not an enemy in
the world so far as he or any one else
knows. 1t was thought at first that
the assault had been made for the pur-
pose of robbery, but none of the goods
were taken from the wagon and this
theory falls short. Another theory adj
vanced is to the effect that the as
sailant was intoxicated and was 'lay-
ing for" someone who had possibly an
gered or injured him. The affair is
hard to explain on any hypothesis.
The police Immediately took the
case in hand, but so far they have sue
ceeded in doing nothing toward I'M
travelling the mystery.
BeDillion is some better this morn
ing and it is hoped the injury will not
prove fatal. The lad had not fully re-
covered consciousness and the hurt
was very painful.
The club with which the blows were
struck was found lying short dis
lance from where BeDillion had fallen,
One end of it was spattered with
blood. The other end had been rudely
whitfield as if some had tried to make
handle to grasp it more firmly.