The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-01-22
RINGG0LD RARE CASE

Windsor Richards, Former resi-
dent of Decatur County Charged
With the Crime.
SEVEN YEAR-O GIRL MAY DIE.
A peculiarly revolving rape case came
to light yesterday, and has reused great
public interest. The complainant is
Bessie, tue seven.year-old daughter of
John Mckee, who lives two miles east of
Caledonia. The accused man, who is
now in Jail, is a married man aged 25
years, who has been working for MIR.
Mckee since corn gathering time began.
The little girl lis in a very precarious
condition, suffering from the effects of
the ASSAULT and alsofrom a severe attack
of broncho-pEeumonia. 1t is feared
that she will not live, so her statement
was taken yesterday. She names Rich
ards as her assailant, and personally
identified him when brought before her.
Richards was brought to Mt. Ayr
yesterday afternoon, appeared before
Justice Lnebucg without a lawyer,
waived examination, aud was bound
over to the February grand jury under
$500 bonds.
The assault took place week or
more ago. Richards and his wife have
been living in theMcKee home. Several
of Mr.. Mckee's children are living with
other people, as Mrs. Mckee is now for
the second time in the insane hospital
at Clarinda. 1t was while DIR. Mckee
was away visiting alittle son, who was
ill, that the assault is alleged to have
taken place. Little Bessie kept still
about the matter, l(byreason of threats,
it is said), until Sunday evening. By
that time she had begun to suffer great
ly from her injuries and also from pneu-
monia, and told her .troubles to her
father. He summoned DR.. Matt Camp
of kellerton and Dr.,J. w. Crefurd of
Lamont, who diagnosed the case as kid
ney complaint. BY "Wednesday eve
ming Mrs. L. Foster, who had been call
ed to nurse the little girl, became so
sure that something wasayrong that she
insisted upon Doctors d. R.Bemert and
G. T. Lesan of Mt. Ayr being called.
These physicians reached the Mckee
home about midnight, andswere told by
& Mr.. Mckee and the little girl the story
of the latter's wrongs. Theexaminasion
Of the girl confirmed her statements
After warming Lemul German, who vas
staying at McKee'ss to keep track of
Richards movements, the physicians
returned to Mt. Ayr and notified
deputy County Attorney Fuker. Mr.
Fuller and Sheriff Miller went yesterday
forenoon to Mckee's, where they learn.
ed that Richards had gone to William
Aliens sale in Riley township. There
they took him in charge, he making no
resistance, and brought him to town.
Richards lived for many years with
his parents on farm two miles west Of
Davis City. Later he moved to La1non
and worked in a harness shop. last
fall Ae came to McKee's hone and has
been employed there since. He does
not appear to have more than average
intelligence. Both he and his wife
knew Monday morning of the fact that
the little girl accused him, yet it made
little if any difference in their actions.
Mr.. Mckee is shattered, mentally and
physically, by the Affections that have
come upon him. He has hardly known
which way to turn in attempting to
serve his little daughters interests.
The part DR.. Croford has played in the
case is exciting some comment. Crof-
ford, it will be remembered. was con-
yicted of murder in the second degree
for having caused an abortion which
resulted in the death of Maud Stone of
Decatur City. He is now out of the
penitentiary on bail, pending an appeal
to the supreme court. His physicians
certificate has been revoked, SO that be
Il has no right to practice medicine. Mr..
Mckee says that CroHord advised him
to take the girl to the Crofford sani.
tarium in Lamont. and said that her
story of being outraged was merely an
hallucination on her part. Mr.. Mckee
was induced to accept this theory in
view Of insanity Of the. e..'girl's mother
Mt. Ayr News.
Iowa ranks eleventh among the states
in population, but it holds fourth place
in the number of presidential post.
Offices. The only states outranking it
ara New York. PENNSYLVANIA and Hi.