The San Francisco call., 1904-04-26

OAKLAND. April 25.-Four women
were attacked by footpads last night
upon this side of the bay. Two wo-
men were assaulted in Alameda by
mysterious man who seemed satisfied
with beating his victims numerically.
Two were assaulted between Oakland
and Berkeley, the apparent object be-
ing robbery. The Alameda women were
badly injured, while the two from the
district between Oakland and Berkeley
were more fortunate.
Miss Johanna Holmberg, aged 20
years, employed as a servant by Mr.
and Mrs. D. p. Munthe, 1854 Broad
way, Alameda, reported TO the police
that she was attacked and brutally
beaten by an unknown man near the
corner of San Jose avenue and Regent
street last night at half past 10 o'clock,
thus making the second woman victim
TO suffer at the hands of a male as
sailant in Alameda, the other being
Mrs. W. F. Burns, who was Knocked
down twice by an unknown individual
close to the corner of Santa Clara ave-
nue and Everett streets an hour and
half previous to the assault on Miss
Holmberg.
Miss Holmberg's face shows evidence
of her encounter with the mysterious
woman beater. One of her eyes is dis
colored and the cuticle is broken over
the right cheek bone, where the heavy
fist of the vicious assailant struck The
waist she wore at the time of the strug-
gle is bespattered with blood that came
from her nose and cheek as a result
of the rufians blows To-day the
Young woman was in hysterical con-
dition. and asserted that she would
never go out of doors again after dark.
Miss Holmberg recently arrived here
from Denmark and is highly regarded
by her mistress. The girl told the fol-
lowing story this morning.:
was on my way home after visiting girl
friend who is employed in a family in the
central portion OF town. ! was walking along
street / noticed man coming toward me.
STRIKES HER ON THE FACE.
I was not afraid at all but when he got
within arms length Of me he hit me several
terrible blows in the face that Knocked me
down and caused my face and nose to bleed
He said nothing and when l got up ne was
walking away as IL nothing had happened. /
remember that he was not a large man and
that he wore a light hat. When ! reached
the house I did not wake any one because
was so frightened that ! did not know what
should do. / do not think l would be able
20 tell the man if 1 saw him again.
Mrs. w. f. Burns has not yet recov-
cred from the shock she underwent
when she was felled twice by the noe
turnaI ruffian. Like Miss Holmberg
she can assign no reason why she
should have been attacked. No effort
was made by the assailant in either
case to rob or in any other way modest
his victims. In both instances he ap-
peared to have appeased his abnormal
yiciousness by beating his weak vic
Tins to the ground. Regarding the as
sault Mrs. Burns said:
7 would know the man that attacked me
~ I should ever see him again. He was not
much larger than 1 am and young / dis
ttnctly remember 9et he wore light hat
Owing to the light hat that Mrs.
Burns and Miss Holmberg say their as
sailant wore and to the fact that the
attacks were but an hour and half
apart and the scenes six blocks distant
from each other, the police are inclined
TO accept the theory that the assaults
were made by one man and that he is
either insane or afflicted with mania
for beating defenseless females.
MISS CRoNIN BEATEN.
Several months ago Miss Cronin, who
is employed in the family Of Franz