Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-05-31
Girl STOLEN
Taken Take TO The MDgnlaIas and Is.
sauIted by While Brdles.
PRISONERS HOW AT HARlIHToH
West vIrslnlana to Give Quick Trial
70 Men Accused Of A.taeklno Miss
ona slrd.-selleved Girl win Never
Have to Take the stand.

t. 3
MARLINTON, w. Va. NAV ao-Jn.
tense excitement prevails here over
't Tue outrage perpetratcd on pretty Miss
ona Bird, the 16-year.oId Slaughter
4l one Oh the most prominent resi-.
dents of Pocahontas county. scores
of infuriated citizens hive COMO !. In
the chief of police, Paris ID. Yeagcr,
anu openly declared their intention OF
melting out summary punishment to
Albert Gay and Warrrick Ratliff rho
assailanls, who are closely guarded
In the county Jail, Chief Ycager has
deputizcd five additional policemen.
who remain the In the jaii near the
prisoners day and night.
Feeling has never run so hirh IN
this county. News of she assault
spread like wild fire and farmers from,
miles around have hurried to Marlin.
ton to have hand in dealing out
punishment to the criminals.
Alleged Assallants cauuht.
Both prisoners have been fully
identified. They are nervous ana ey.
cited. and are terrified when crowds
OF men and boys pass the jail.
Details of this chapter of horrors.
which ended an attempt at clone.
ment by Miss Bird and her lover. Ar.
mold Caldwell, are almost unppintable
They are so horrible that IL Is moi he
lived the residents Will permit the
little girl to go on the Stand In court
and recite them.
SWeethearts Started to EIopc,
Miss Bird and young Caldwell. who
Conducted II barbershop here for two
years, had been sweethearts for some
months. although the girls father ser.
iously objected to the companionsblp,
On last Wednesday afternoon they do.
cided they would elope to Virginia
and get married. They stopped M
Ratliffs farm, about four miles from
Marlinton, for the purpose of spending
the night there. Ratliff was not at
hGme. When the couple started away
they saw Ratliff and Gay coming to.
ward the house.
Ratliff and his companion were
drunk and had Jug of whiskey In the
wagon In which they drove to the
farm. Caldwell informed Ratliff he
ana the girl wished to spend the night
In his house and also said they wanted
10 be driven to Virginia to be mar.
RED. AS soon as Ratllff heard the
pans he called Gay aside and the two
whispered together for some mo
ments.
Girl Torn From Her Lover.
Then Ratliff answered that he in.
tended taking the girl away from Glad.
Wen Tor his own purposes. Before
the frightened youth and girl could
run Ratliff darted into the house and
got Winchester rifle and cartridges
and leYelcd the weapon at Gladwoll's
head. He held the wouid.be bride
groom off, while Gay took the girl
into the farmhouse and attacked her.
me girl wrested herself from his
grasp and ran from the house, iut
Ratliff seized her and held her for a
Few minutes. Then, releasing her. he
covered both the girl and her lover
with the rifle and ordered Gay to
saddle two of the fastest horses In the
stable. Gay obeyed Immediately. and
When the saddled horses were
brought to the front of the house Rat
Tiff threw the girl on one of the AMI.
mails while he jumped on the other.
Took Girl to Mountains.
Cay was then ordered to get another
gun and two blankets for Ratliff, who
had Caldwell at bay while on the
horse, When the blankets and gun
We're handed to him Ratliff seized
the Birdie of the GIRLS horse and rode
off mt breaknock speed.
lie took Miss Bird to lonely SPOT
on Marlinton Mountain. halfway he.
tween his home and the town. After
throwing the gun and blankets to tho
ground he tied his Horse and then
made the girl his victim. Then he
cooiiy Informed her that she must die
She begged to be allowed to pray.
Ratliff said he would kill her instant.
ly III she uttered word of prayer.
Meanwhile Caldwell had escaped
from his drunken guardian and made
his way to the home Of Chief Yeager.
Botween gasns for breath and sobs
he hurriedly told the story of horror.
Chief Yeager awakened the girls
father, and the two. armed with re-
Yolvers and Wholesalers, went in
search OF the fiends 81 minutes after
they We're informed of the outrage.
Chief Yeager and Justice of the
Peace Bird came upon the lonely
spot whore the girl had been subjected
TO brutal indignitie3. Chief Yeager
was within 40 yards of RatlIff. when
the latter saw him and ran.
Chief Yeager fired, but missed. and
Ratliff attempted to hide.
Girl Found; Ratliff Surrendcrs,
The Chief and Justice gave their
attention to the girl, who was hys.
terical, She was finally quieted and
told her story. which caused her
father to cry out for the blood of her
assaiiant Chief Yeager descended the
hill and was about 10 shoot at a clump
OF rnstling bushes. when Ratliff sprang
up and shouted: Don't shoot me-
Paris; III surrender!"
When the Chief placed the girls