The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-18
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Julius PritChard, Human Brute,
Taken to Prison.
Pleads Guilty TO Brutal Assault
on Little Girl.
OFFICERS FAST WORK.
Passes Through Two Courts in
a Few Minutes.
Talk Of a Mob Responsible for
the Haste.
OFFICERS FAST WORK.

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There will be no Iynehing in Topeka
tonight though the air has been fun of
rumors Of such an event ali day. TO
prevent the possibility of such an ups
rising the authorities broke a record
for quick work. Julius Pritchard, a
criminal degenerate, who assaulted q
9en-year-Old child last evening. was
taken before Judge Mcgabe of the city
court for a preliminary hearing at
1850 today which he waived. Then
ne appeared before Judge Dana of the
district court and pleaded guilty to the
revolving crime and at 1910 was SEN
fenced to prison for from 10 to u
years and is now safely within the
walls of the state penitentiary at Ian
cling. Sheriff Lucas left Topeka with
his prisoner at 1850 this afternoon.
Pritchard, who is p years old, has
been in the hands of the police many
times. He was arrested last evening
on the charge Of assaulting Annie
stevens the ten-year-Old daughter OF
John O.. Stevens. a Santa Ee maCnlnlSL-
This morning, at the county jail,
Prltchard made "a fun confession to
Sheriff Lucas and Detective Ross, Civ
ing the revolving details of the crime.
Little Annie Stevens. the victim of
the brute. attends Branner school.
When she was returning to her home,
40I Ash street. last evening, she was
acCOsted by Pritchard. The little girl
zEas accompanied by her smaller sister,
aged years Annie told the man that
she didn't want to go with him, but ne
insisted and said. If you Will go
down to my sisters house and hold a
screen while I nail it on the window
I viii give you a nickel" Then the
man took her by the hand and led
her away, telling the other children to
wait for her. as she would be back in a
1ew minutes.
Pritchard then led the child down
the railroad tracks until they came to
g. corn field, where he made her crawl
through the wire fence.
II wanted to go back, SAID the
child i'm telling her story, but he
wouldn't let me. He choked me-.
The child returned to town with the
man. Pritchard stopped at store
and told the child that ne wanted 10
get q S5 bill changed. He went into
the store, and evidently escaped by
the back door, as she saw nolhlng
more of him.
The little girl got home about $3.50
O'Clock. In the meantime, her brother,
Harry Stevens who is about 4 years
of age. had heard the story told by the
smaller sister, and set out 70 ma
Annie He was Joined by his DrOlnef
F2olIfn who began a search. He could
not trace the child or the man, but
found some men who had seen them
pass
told her mother what had occurred
the police were notified. From the
description they decided that II Was
Pritchard, who was known TO pc
vicious character, and capable OF Lne
crime officer Frank Parcel and De
fective Josiah Ross started hunt LoI
Pritchard. and caught nm IN JollL
Heltman's joint on smoky Row
Pritchard denied the crime ana seem
ed to feel safe, as he had changed ms
clothing and gotten rid OF lhe ishl
eoIored trousers which the child had
described in her story. guess Y9u Ne
got the wrong man this time, ne salq
ssas was over at my brother-ln-laW S
on Soldier creek until after o clock
When the little girl was brought e
the police station last night to laehuIs
Eritchard she was at nrst cOnLuset
by the change i'm his clothing, but SCOT
noticed Deculiarities of his walk anc
voice and positively declared that ne
was the criminal
To test his alleged aHbi officer Par
eel and Detective Ross went to the
house of George Young, north OF the
civ where Pritchard claimed to have
snent the afternoon. Young, who Is
Prltchsrd's brother-in-law, said tina
he had not seen the suspect for severa
DAYS but that he would like to gel
hold of him. "He stole set or mar
ness from me when he was here last
said Young
The officers returned to the city anC
removed Pritchard to the county jail
where ne was kept over night anC
made confession this morning II
his confession ne tried to make it ap
pear that the child accompanied hin
willingly. which would not condone tn
crime i'm the smallest degree He wa
taken before County Attorney Hun
gate and arrested on the charge sworl
70 by the parents of the little girl
Prltchard is evidently a moral de
generate. and has all the physical ap
pearances of a criminal His face ex
presses nothing but low meanness ant
GoEged defiance. He has been arrest
ed many times by the police on vari
Gus charges, principal among them be
ing the abuse of horses 1T is hi
fsvorite pastime to hire a horse an
buggy from a livery stable, drive tn
horse until it can hardly walk, am
then leave 1T tied Four lverymel
had horses injured in this manner il
one month last summer, and Pritchar
has served over 100 days in the cit
Jail for the same crime during tn
nast two years He was known as
sneak thief and frequenter Of low re
sorts. He escaped from the police ant
rock pile guard on several occasions
and if became customary to shackl
his feet together as soon as he wa
arrested.