Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-07-01
TALE OF ABDUCTION AND
Attempted MURDER
Mary Bell Seized Near Her Home Last
Night, Drugged, Assaulted, Strangled and
Thrown Into Ditch to Drown

Strangled by an unknown man and
carried one mile from home to be
knocked in the head and thrown into
the Porter ditch is the story told to-
day by pretty Mary Bell, Is years old.
whose disappearance last night arous-
ed the entire residence portion of east
Lewiston.
The girl was found at o'clock this
morning after three hours diligent
search by half hundred men. women
and boys, who had been aroused from
their beds by couriers, who reported
the mysterious disappearance Of the
girl.
Searching parties were sent in all
directions, and 1t was but few min
utes before 2 o'clock when William
Strong. Edward White and a Mr.. Car
rington discerned a white robed per-
son moving rapidly through the COM
mons. AS the party approached the
identity became known and as they
spoke her name she fell to the earth
in a swoon and did not recover con-
sciousness until o'clock this morn
ing.
The men carried the senseless girl
to her home. Her clothing was soak
ed with water showing she had been
thrown into the stream and examina-
ton of the body showed numerous
bruises, indicating a severe struggle.
The disappearance and recovery of
the girl was made particularly myster-
ious on account of her having spent
the entire evening at home and ac-
companied some neighbor friends to
theie home, but two doors away. She
was heard to bid her friends good
night at 9:45 and that was the last
seen of her until the searching party
found her this morning as she was
running toward home after escaping
from her captors and a perilous posi-
ton in the Porter ditch.
AS told by the girl this morning
after recovering conciousness she was
seized by an unknown man when with
in a few feet of her fathers home ant
was gagged by having handkerchief
forced into her mouth and another
being tied about her face to hold tht
gag in place. She states that she hat
full knowledge of being carried q
front of her fathers house. where sh'
could see her mother and father In tn
back yard, but was powerless to CT
for assistance.
'I never saw the man before, sh
said, when questioned relative to tn
affair this morning. "The first
knew he had grasped me in his arm
and before ] could scream had force
q handkerchief down my throat.
HE carried me past my house an
could see my father and mother ]
the back yard, but could not cry 70
help. 1 was then carried and dragge
through fields and along the railroa
track and after struggling for som
time managed to remove the gag 1u'
as the night train came pass and as
screamed for help the man knocke
me in the back of the head and thre
me into the ditch.
How long l remained there
where | wandered do not Know o.
have a faint recollection of climbir
up the bank and afterwards ruhnll
along the track past the stockyarus'
can then remember of knowing l ht
been found by friends and from IN
time until this morning 1t IS all
blank.
T think the man wGs foreignel
said the girl, when asked 1or
scription of her asssilant, "but Q
not get a good view q his face as
kent in the dark PAGES all Oh
time. could not understand mu
that he said, but he Kept saying som
thing about Spokans and peiie'
he intended to take ne there
The girl was misssd but Few III
utes after the assault was made as
father was then making preparauo
to go to the depot to take the u'
for Seattle wheI' Mary id not
pear at her homS after oiuulhs
friends good night, the paie'
thought it strangeand soon olsco'e'
the child had disappeared DEW
the home of Mrs. N. Hanson anu
own home, a distance not exceeu
100 feet. The members OF the 70"
and immediate friends starteo q so"
at once and lfter looking iOr
hours without esults the entire nei
borhood was sroused and the sea
became genersl. s
SQUADS and tarted in all oireuu' EN-
The party consisting 0l ""
1Cc57ioied on Page Five.)