Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-08
NEGRO CUTS WHITE WOMAN
Attacks Victimi in Bed and slGsheS Her in
Several Places
BOTH BoARDERS OF CAMBRIDGE HOTEL
woman Declares Man Total Stranger
to Her and Cannot Account
for His CrIme-Assail-
ant Arrested.
BOTH BoARDERs or CAMBRIDGE HoTE

After making an attempt to escape from
the Cambridge hotel before the police ar
rived and then trying to work ruse when
Patrolmen Cunningham and Vobril reached
tho hotel, z. Smith, colored, was arrested
Tuesday morning on the charge of cutting
with intent to kill Miss Irene Connors, an
occupant OF the hotel Miss Connors ac-
cuses Smith of assaulting her with a knife
Smith denies the charge.
The woman, who is white, was cut in
seven places the deepest cash being long
wound to the bone on the left cheek. There
is one cut over the right eye, another close
to the jugular vein and other cuts around
the neck. Aside from the one on the cheek
the wounds are superficial. Miss Connors
was removed to the Clarkson hospital,
where DR.. Scott took twenty-five stitches
in closing up the wounds.
wOman's Version of AnRir.
So far as can be learned from the woman,
who is weak from loss OF blood, her as
sailant broke into her room and began
slashing at her while she was yet in bed.
The woman says she made a desperate
struggle to get away and did succeed to
the extent OF getting out into the hall and
trying to enter the room OF James Thomp-
son. colored, who is charged at the city
jail with being a state witness. Thompson
says the first he heard OF the trouble was
when he opened his door and saw Smith
and the woman struggling in the halls.
That the woman made struggle In her
room is evident from the fact the room is
spattered with blood. Smith was more OF
less covered with blood when arrested. The
womans condition when found i'm her room
by the officers was too horrible to describe.
Proprietor Prevents Escape.
A. Gordon, proprietor of the Cambridge
hotel, said Smith came downstairs after
the trouble and tried to get out, but was
prevented by being locked in. Evidently
he then proceeded to the upper floors Of the
hotel as the walls along the stairways are
covered with bloody hngermarks
When the officers reached the hotel Smith
was on the second floor, where the assault
occurred. and Gordon was guarding the
front door Smith Immediately pointed out
James Thompson as the man who did the
cutting, but when both men were brought
before Miss Connors she stoutly maintained
Smith was the assailant. Mrs. Hoover. who
rooms in the hotel said she saw Smith dur
ing the morning with a razor and knife.
Miss Connors declares Smith is a stranger
10 her and the woman says she is at a
loss 10 account for the assault.
Woman Dangerously Hurt.
1t later develops that Smith may have
to face the charge Of murder for the
wanton assault he committed. After the
surgeons at the Clarkson hospital had
dressed the wounds on Miss Connors' face
and neck a narrow wound was discovered
in her left side This is by far the most
serious OF ali. 1t was made by a straight
stab of the knife that was aimed at her
heart. THIS organ was not injured, but
was narrowly missed. II is thought that
the steel did penetrate her left lung. and
the stab may be fatal at any moment
The wound was not discovered at first
because scarcely a drop OF blood flowed
| from il. Miss Connors was unable TO tel
where she was suffering the most SooT
! the symptoms OF a deeper wound de
Veloped and an examination brought 4
to light.