Sistersville daily review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1905-1907, 1905-05-13
Four Young Men Held, Without
Bond, Charged With Criminal As
saut On Martha HARRIET, a Seven
teen.Year-OId Girl.
in A DIRTY BLACKSMITH SHOP
The Girl Is Kept All Night and Subject To Bru-
tai and Thurman Treatment CLOTHES and
Marks Showing Force.

started away, when she was ar
rested by the unfortunate girl
calling. She returned to the shop
and the girl admitted her. The
sight was beyond description. The
girl had gathered her clothing
about her, but her body was COW
cred with the dirt and filth of the
shop, and her physical condition
was pitiful and not permissible OF
portrayal in the columns of a
newspaper. Lying on the floor OF
the shop, in a drunken stlpor
was Barrick and Ditweiler, with a
revolver between them, lying in
the filth and dirt, which is a fit
emblem of their depravity.
During the trial when Barrick
was on the stand he showed an
effrontery that was not alone sur
prising, but showed his depraved
and loathsome character. He re-
lated the details of the awful
crime, with apparently the great
est satisfaction, and with a spirit
of bravadO.
"There was circumstantial evil
dence to prove the truth of the
young kris story, while there is
nothing to substantiate the story
as told by Barrick, which, within
itself, has all the elements OF a
criminal assault, and brands the
perpetrators of the awful crime
as inhuman brutes, deserving the
full penalty of the law.
"The unfortunate girl is but II
years of age, quite prepOssesSing,
and not Of the strongest intellect.
Her mother is dead, and her
father resides near Wallace, Har-
rison county. she she is dependent
upon her own efforts for mainte-
nance.
"By the story as told by the
different defendants, the girl was
given beer and whiskey while in
the blacksmith shop, and during
the night became so intoxicated
that she was unable OF hold up
her head while one of the fiendS
placed a cushion under her. The
girl became very sick, and they
sent out and secured salt water,
which was given her as an emetlc,
and from their own evidence her
nervous and physical condition
was very pitiful.
"Her clothing was torn, and on
her neck were the marks Of the
thumbs and fingers Of a person,
confirming her story that she was
forced to the floor while she was
being outraged. There were sew
eral marks on her face and body,
which would Indicate that force
had been used.
"After hearing the evidence
Squire HigginbOtham committed
the men to the county jail to await
the action Of the grand jury, with
out bond. They were brought to
this city Tuesday morning by
Constable Sands and several
guards. The men did not seem
to care for the position i'll which
they were placed, and laughed
and talked together, and two of
them stopped in a saloon and
drank before they were taken to
the Jail.
"The offense with which they
are charged, and of which primar-
lily they have been proven guilty,
is punishable with death, or if the
jury should recommend clemency
it is punishable with from 7 to
20 years in the penitentiary.
1.-The people of JacksOnburg
were justly enraged at the awful
crime which had been perpetrated
in the city, and while there was
no talk of violence, yet the men
were given no sympathy by any
one.
prosecuting Attorney E. L.
Robinson went to JacksOnburg'
Monday morning and with Attor-
ney Thos. H. Cornett looked after
the states interest. The defend
ants were represented by Attor-
ney J. W. McIntire of this city,
and Attorneys John Ross and o.
W. Gallaher."