The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-11-01
BRUTAL CRIME AT MAPLEToN.
William Assaults and Outrages Miss
Minnie Baker.


express the feeling of this community
during the past week. and terror has
pierced the heart of many mother
as she contemplated the fact that
her daughter might equally as we'll
have been party to the tragic event
that has so completely aroused the
neighborhood.
Last Saturday evening about seven
O'Clock Miss Minnie Baker left the
store of Mr.. Miller. where she had
been acting as saleslady during the
day, and started for the home of j.
L. Keagey in the south part of town
where she was to take supper. She
had got within few rods of the house
when she heard a mans footsteps
rapidly approaching from behind.
She stepped to the edge of the walk
and waited for the person Tor devil
as he afterwards showed himself to
be) to pass. but when he came up to
her he stopped and struck her fear
full blow in the face. She was knock
ed unconscious, and while in this con-
dition was dragged out into a garden
nearby. where by beating her into
submission and tieing his coat over
her head to stiff1e her screams for
help. he was able to detain her for
an hour. inficting upon her, fortunes
unworthy of the damned. Every out
cry was met with a TRADE of oaths
and blow in the face until the poor
girl would lapse off into insensibility,
when the miserable wretch would
have no interference in his terrible
designs. He was offered her money.
watch. diamond ring, everything she
had if he would desist, but TO no
avail.
John Seit,znger had peviouslv made
arrangements to take the young lady
to her home south of town. and at
this time drove past the place where
she was lying. on his way to the
Keaggy home. She evidently recog-
nized the sound of his vehicle. and
with a final effort shouted for him to
come to her assistance. The appear
ance of Seitzinger frightened til .
ruffian away and he took flight out
across the lot.
Miss Baker was taken into the
house and after a physician had seen
her she was taken to the home of her
parents. where medical treatment
could be more conveniently admins
tered. Parts of her clothing We're
torn off. her body and face were torn
and bleeding, and being half dead
from blows and fright. she was in a
precarious condition. Her physician
says her wounds are healing salts
factoriiy and aside from nervous
state of mind she is recovering from
the ordeal as rapidly as can be ex-
pected. She is one of the most
popular young ladies in the commun-
ity. She is graduate from the
Mapleton high school and has taught
number of terms of school. She
has been teaching the Horribly school
this fall and had only one week more
to finish the term.
Unfortunately for the culprit. his
hat was knocked off in the scuffie and
he did not take time to recover it in
his haste to escape. When the officers
reached the spot it was found, and
proved a strong clew to his identi-
fication. 1t was thought by bar
tender in one of the saloons to belong
to a young man who had spent con-
siderable time in the place during the
day. This theory proved to be cor
rect, and it was also learned that the
party had been working the past week
for VIM. Wodtka east of town.
Marshal Nunemaker took a team ana
driving to the Wodtke farm, got a
complete Identification of the hat from
Mr.. Wodtke, who said the young
man was in town, not yet having re-
turned. Arrangements were made
to have the officer notified by tele-
phone should he appear at the farm
house that night and he returned to
town. Later in the night word came
that the fellow had reached home
and another trip was made to the
country, where the fend was found
snugly in bed. He gave his name as
Claude Fisher. and promptly admitted
his guilt. He was brought to town
and placed behind the bars.
The following morning feeling
against him was intense. and had a
leader come forward it is hard to tell
what would have happened. 1t is Ger
tain if the country people, who We're
perhaps more thirsty for revenge. had
been able to come into town. it is not
likely this story would have ended as
it does. The prisoner was closely
guarded during the day and when
evening came he was suirlted out of
town and taken to Ida Grove for