Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-29
WOMAN NARROWLY
ESCAPES VIOLENCE
Mrs. Kaufman Assailed as She
Leaves Court Room at
Sioux Falls.
A HERR" PEOPLE CRY
Parkston Delegation Declared Purpose
Of Remaining Until Iron Bars Held
He--Without Bail for Killing
r.aidservant.

G,oux Falls, S. D., June 22.--Spat up
on, Kissed, buffeted by the maddened
mob, crying Hang her!" Tear her 10
pieces!" and utterirg wrathful impre-
cations, Mrs. Moses Kaufman, wife OF
the millionaire brewer here, charged
with torturing a young servant girl to
death, barely escaped the severest
treatment, if not indeed death, at the
hands Of the enraged populace here last
, Wednesday.
This demonstration followed action
In the court room when Justice A. Il.
Wheelock held Mrs. Kaufman to the
circuit court without bail on the charge
of manslaughter. She is accused OF
causing the death by the most fendish
, fortunes of ~16-year-old Agnes Polreis,
who was a servant in the Kaufman
home for three months and whose
death occurred June !.
q Escaped in a Hack.
The woman, with her husband, was
compelled to cross the street with but
scant protection from the officers in
the face of this bowling, cursing mob,
in order to get a carriage, their own
Va NlllS pSCll oplAlNNN away - 80
most ran to the livery barn of Mayor
Burnside at Dakota avenue and Ninth
street and there entered a closed Vehi-
Gle.
An effort was made to escape by way
Of a back door. but the crowd was
watchful and the horses, put in a run
as they left the stable, almost stamped
on men and women who were waiting
to do something. they Knew not what.
to show their disfavor of the accused
woman But for this quick action in
getting her away, some definite form
of violence would certainly have ap-
peared. The mob's fury was in awful
crescendo and at it's height there must
have come q leader to direct the move
ment of the crowd-a movement whose
result is terrible to anticipate.
Taken from Home to Jail.
The angry, disappointed throng, dis
tanced by the fleeing carriage with lta
terror-stricken occupants, swore and
crowded in it's impotent rage, and after
some time dispersed, leaving the omin-
Gus impression that at another time
1t would again assemble.
Mrs. Kaufman, almost in a state of
total collapse from the fright given her,
was taken to her home. where she has
been a prisoner since her arrest a week
ago. An hour later, in a closed carriage
ana Dy al u6lOuT VI Tic DdCh SliSShS, oiS
was conveyed to Jail, in the big stone
court house. This action, it is stated
by both Judge Aiken, her counsel, m
States Attorney Orr, was taken as a
means of protection from The infuri-
ated people.
That the prisoner has been held on
such q desperate accusation without
bail seems to the people here to be
warrant enough for placing her in jail,
h,,f hnr anfaphla1 nhVSical condition
due to the great strain Of the past
week, is given as the reason for again
taking her home.
Glad of Protection.
It is declared that Mrs. Kaufman,
although shrinking from the ~plainness
and chilliness of the cell after SO much
luxury at home, showed evident relief
when assured Of the protection of the
steel bars across the door.
The alarm occasioned by the assault
by the mob left her weak and almost
hysterical. Naturally of ford counten-,
ance, the frightened woman's features
were of CHASTITY pallor. She sank down
on the iron bunk and buried her face
in her hands.
Mr.. Kaufman. the woman's husband,
Is nearly craZed by his grief over the
serious charge against his wife, whom
he evidently believes in, and by his re-
sentiment of the unlawful and terrible
demonstration made by the mob. He
paced the corridor of the Jail, tears and
passions of anger alternating in chang
ing the appearance of his features.
Crowd Sursed in Streets. :
AS early as 8 o'clock this morning
the streets about Justice Wheelock's
court room was crowded, although the
time for resuming the hearing was not
until 10. BY the time that hour ar
rived fully 500 people, two-thirds of
them being women, crowded and scold-
ed in their effort to gain first admit
tance TO the court room. During this
time the case was discussed by groups
and threats of the most startling a
ture were made against the woman
for twenty-five years a resident of this
city. but now under accusation of tor
turing her maid servant to death. 1t
was evident before the carriage con-
tanning the prisoner arrived that the
crowd was in an ugly God
As Mrs. Kaufman. heavily yelled,
left the carriage with her husband and
attorneys. cries of rage were heard.
Kisses sent their sibilant insult through
the air and women close to the shrink
ing prisoner spat upon her. She was
hurried into the court room, which was
soon filled TO s~uffocation.
Protection Asked for Client.
The court proceedings were short.
.IuSIlCG WneelOCh announced ne was
ready to proceed and States Attorney
Orr said:
Your honor, the state has submitted
all the evidence in this case that 1,
cares to at this preliminary hearing
and ! move that the defendant, Mrs
Emma Kaufman, be held on the charge
of m~anslaughter in the killing of Agnes
Polreis 10 the circuit court withou,
bail"
Justice Wheelock waited an instan.
rs if expecting the defense to make
objection. There was none and the
court then granted the motion of the
state.
Then Judge Aiken. representing the
prisoner, arose and said:
II ask that this court grant my client
adequate protection. On the way &c
this court room she was Kissed and
spat upon. a proceeding Of the most
dcspicable character"
Where Were the Officers?
The court promised all the protec-
ton he could afford and Mrs. KaufY-
In the custody OF the sheriff and
accompanied Ny her husband. startes
ia the street. The crowd ollowed In
ominous silence until the street was
rearhed