The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-12-04
Assaults a Young Lady Student OF
the Normal School.
The Affair Occurs at Halt Past
Five Last Evening.
Under the Cover of the Darkness
the Fellow Escapes.
Approach of Other Ladies Causes the
bastard to Flee.
From Thursdays Daily.


residence at the corner of Fifth and
Cherry streets. last evening about
half past five o'clock. The girl had
lust finished her studying in the nor
NAL school library and was on her way
to her boarding place. AS she turned
the corner by President Cooper's
house to go down South Fifth street,
she met a man who eyed her closely
His conduct seemed strange and sus-
piciouS and he stopped and rubbed
his shoes against the grass OF the
Cooper property. She walked on and
could hear him following.
She had gone only a few rods when
the fellow suddenly put his hand over
her mouth and threw her to the
ground. 1t happened that about this
same moment four young ladies, also
of the normal school, stepped out of
the residence of Rev. Miller, where
they rOomed, to go to the home OF
Mrs. Olmstead for supper. They
heard the muffled cries of the intended
victim, and at first heSitated on ac-
count of fear, but moment later hur-
ried on. The man saw their approach
and hastily made of, running across
Fifth street towards Glenwood ave-
nue. and disappearing up the ravine.
The terrified girl was taken to a
neighboring house. Her clothing was
badly torn but she was not hurt. A
few minutes later she was taken to
her rooming place by. President
Cooper.
Rev. Miller came home about half
an hour later and rung up the police
and told the story.
The girl describes her assailant as a
Slight, spare young fellow, with a
thin, smooth-shaYen face. He was
of medium height and wore dark
clothes. He had on medium length
overcoat and felt hat crushed in at
the crown.
The absence OF the usual street
light without doubt was the main
cause of the assault. 1t was very
cloudy and dark, and the moon had
not yet risin high enough to afford
any light.
The young lady is about twenty-one
years of age and has come from a
Southern Minnesota town to attend
school The shock to her nerves kept
% col,,<l
At the hour when the assault was
committed all the men residing in the
neighborhood were away from home.
This was unfortunate. Had any one
of the male residents been near at
hand he could have given chase and
no doubt have captured the asSailant.
Two girls living in house near by
heard the muffled Cry of the young
lady and they became SO frightened
that they put out the light in their
room and sat, trembling with fear.
According to the young lady'S story
the fellow came up from behind and
placed his hand over her mouth. She
gave him kick in the legs, and made
an effort to release herself. The
fiend struck her blow in the face,
and then threw her to the ground.
1t is said that like assaults have
occurred in Mankato, this being the
third one during the past year and a
half, all of them in the same neigh
bOrhOOd.
Chief Donahue, when asked this af-
ternoon what the police department was
doing about the case, replied that it was
doing nothing. He went on to explain
that the department had not been noti-
fed until an hour after the occurrence,
but that it was then prepared to do what
it could toward locating the party who
made the assault. He was just leaving
: the city hall to go and have talk with
the young lady when he met President
Cooper of the normal school.
Chief Donahue said that he asked
President Cooper in regard to the case,
but that the latter replied in substance
as follows: "The young lady is unable
to give any description of her assailant
that would warrant any arrest being
made. She was excited and it was dark
and she did not gain a description that
would warrant her appearing against any
one that might be arrested upon sus-
picion. / have ascertained from her
and the others all that anyone could
learn. Furthermore, did not think that
the young lady would care to appear in
the police court in case anyone was ar
rested"
Chief Donahue said that he had then
suggested to President Cooper that he
(Donahue) had better see the young
lady, but Mr.. Cooper had replied that he
could not see that it would do any good
for an officer to 20 and talk with her,
as he had learned all that there was to
learn.
Upon this statement of the case, Mr..
Denahue had decided to drop the mat
ter. He had, however, concluded to have
a talk personally with the young lady
this afternoon, and see whether she