Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-10-22
ACCUSED MAN HUSTLED TO OF.
TuMwA IN CARRIAGE TO
EvADE ELDoN MOB,
WAsHELDT TOGRANDJURY
aberdeen Phillips Accused of Attempt.
ing Rape on Person of Mrs. Johanna
Anderson, An Aged and Respected
Resident of EIdon.

Eidon, Oct. q. (Special) - On
the charge of attempted rape on the
person OF Johanna Anderson. an old
resident OF this city, aged Is. Aber.
deem Phillips, an Italian laborer was
bound over to the grand jury late yes
terday afternoon by Justice ] u
4oungker and narrowly escaped lynch-
ing While the officers We're taking him
from the court house. Phillips is a
grader who has been employed on the
ROCK Island work south of the city.
me evidence in the preliminary hear
ing was such as to leave no hesita-S
uon IN the mind of Justice Youngker
as to the advisability of holding the
prisoner to the grand jury.
Indignation Ran High.
When it became known yesterday
that a man had been arrested on the
charge of attempting an assault on
MRS. Anderson. a spirit of indignation
quickly arose and the affair was soon
the general topic of conversation.
During the mans preliminary hearing
hints were head that it would not 90
Well With the man We're he to fall info
the hands OF the crowd, which was
gradually growing larger.
Mob OutWitted.
1t was given out that the man was
to be held and taken to Ottumwa on
the evening passenger and upon hear
ing this many in the mob left eyi.
i IDENTIFY with the intention of meeting
again at the train. While the atten-
tion Oh the crowd Was thus diverted,
Constable SamuaA-v4o ow quietly left
| the court room with the prisoner in
/ ms cnarge and, entering a carriage,
i whipped up the horses and drove al.
/ once 10 0ttumwa, turning the prison
er over to Sheriff Cremer Phillips
was placed under bonds of $500.
The Alleged Crime.
The crime with which Phillips is
charged is particularly grave one
/ when the age of the intended victim is
considered. According to the story OF
Mrs. Anderson she was at her home
on the evening of October IL, when
the prisoner entered her home and at
tempted an assault upon her. Her
struggles foiled her assailant and he
at once made his escape.
Victim Unable to Speak EnaIish.
Mrs. Anderson is an aged Swedish
woman and although she has resided
with her husband in Eldon for the past
twenty years, she is unable to speak
English plainly and is not well enough
acquainted with the legal procedure
to know what steps to take in the mat
4 ter. She told her husband of the at
tempt that had been made upon her at
once, but they decided to say nothing
labout the matter. Monday physician
was called to examine her neck, which
had been badly wrenched in her strug-.
giles with her assistant She told the
doctor of the affair and it was in this
way that the officers learned of it.
Accused Has Family.
Phillips, the man charged with the
crime, is an italian, about As years OF
: age. He has been in this country
: about year and is able to speak but
little English. He has son about 19
years of age working on the same grad
ing gang with which he is employed at
Eldon. He has a wife living in Italy.
He has been on good terms with Mrs.
Anderson's husband and has at differ
ent times called at their home with MIR.
: Anderson. But little satisfaction could
be gained from him in the preliminary
hearing as he seemed to be unable to
comprehend the meaning of the
charges placed against him.