Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-19
WOMAN ISASSAUL1 TED
Mrs. HeIfric1 Attacked in Her
Home by a Black
Brute.
A SUSPECT IS UNDER ARREST
Henry Medlock Under 81 900 Bond
Pending a Hear
ing.

| fine of $40 now hanging over his head
for making indecent proposals to a
white woman and who has been inn
plicated in number of cases of
similar nature i'm the past. was ar
rested last night by Officer PAIL on
warrant sworn out by Mrs. Mary
Helfrich, a German woman residing
at s21 Sixth street, charging him
with a criminal assault.
According to the story of the wo-
man and which is borne out by that
of her neighbors, the case is one that
demands stern justice. Medlock was
arrested last week for making indie
cent proposals to the wife of Il Bel
gian saIoonkeeper living in the west
part OF the city. He was fined SO
and released on a promise to pay,
claiming that the money was due him
from his employer in Moline. After
going to Moline Saturday to collect
the money he returned to this city
and informed Magistrate Johnson,
before whom he had been tried, that
his employer had gone to Chicago
and he could not get the money at
once. Then it appears that he
started for the place where the at
tempt above referred to was made.
He first applied at the home of a
neighbor and when met at the door
made the excuse that he was looking
for Il house in which to live and in
quired who lived next door. Then he
went to the home of Mrs. Hclfrich,
who is new conner here and who
does not speak English, and knocked.
L.
ed into the house with remarks that
Mrs. Hclfrich, of course, did not UNI
derstand. Without further parley he
seized her by the throat and pushed
her up against the wall. Mrs. Hell
frich is Il very large woman and she
succeeded in calling for help before
her breath was cut off by the brute.
Her shrek was heard by neighbors,
and the colored man. becoming APP
priscd of the fact that help was on
the way, released his hold and ran.
Neighbors who saw him identified
him as Mcdlock and a warrant was
gotten out for him yesterday, but he
could not at once be located. When
arrested he declared that he could
prove that he was in Davenport with
friends at the time that the assault
is alleged to have taken place. Sew
eral months ago NetlIock was finedl
for addressing indecent remarks to
white girl and the Moline police
have had dealings with him along the
same line.
Held In = 900 Bonds.
y hearing was given Medlock be
fore Magistrate johnson this after
noon and the testimony of Mrs. Hell
frich and her ncighbor, Mrs. Mellow,
was taken. The former related the
circumstances of the assault and
both women positively identified the
prisoner as the guilty party. Mcdlocll
sworc he was innocent and asked
continuance till tomorrow in order
to produce witnesses by whom to
prove an alibi. His request was
granted and his bond was fixed at.
81 900.
Other Police New.
y telegram received today by the
police from the authorities at Ike
vance announced the arrest at that
place of man giving his name as
Jack Hayes and claiming Rock Island
as his home, while trying to dispose
of shoes that are believed to have,
been stolen. The local police were
asked for information about such in
dividual, but were unable to furnish
any.
Officer Bowcs last evening picked
up in the Rock Island railroad yards
three boys about II years of age who
claimed Strcator as their home. They
were out to see the world. but after Il
night at the station they decided that
they were ready to return home and
upon being released they headed
eastward with the intention of get
ting out of town.
The local police have received cards
bearing description of Dan Will
liams, who is supposed to have had
some connection with the murder of
Mr.. and Mrs. Jesse Tuman, near Nus
catine.