The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-06-30
COLORED GIRL
IN STABBING AFFRAY
Edna Lucas, Aged IL, Slabs
White Man and Escapes
in Mems Clothes.
POLICE SEARCHING FOR HER
Victim of Knife Taken to Gary Hos.
pital and Chances Are Very
Poor for Recovery.
POLICE SEARCHING FOR HER

Edna Lucas, 17-yenr-old coIOred
girl, met Joseph Clark. "a well known
Gary painter and decorator on Broad
way last evening, had n quarrel with
him, borrowed n stiIIettO from n burIy
negro who accompanied her and then
after repeatedly pIunging the knife
into his body while the negro held off
the crowd, ran TO the home of a friend,
dressed In mems clothing and escaped.
1t was the most sensational stabbing
affair that has ever taken place in this
section of the country. The fact that
the girl was so young. that her vic
tim was a white man. that the assault
was premeditated. that the negro helped
her and fianally that she and the negro
escaped after she had disguised herself
III mems clothes makes the case
unique one in the police annals Of Gary
Assault Occurs in Evening
The assault occurred at S:45 in the
evening. Clark was taken to Mercy
hospital where DIR. Packard attended
him and expressed doubts as to his re-
covery. There were three bad cuts in
his arm and a most dangerous wound
in his side.
The assault was viewed by a great
many well known Gary people, among
whom was a. Dearbyne. Albert Homan,
Harry Wallace and negro girl who ac-
companied the Lucas girl. The by
ISLANDERS were unable to prevent the as
sault for the reason that the negro
who aided the Lucas girl threatened to
kill the first man who interefered.
A posse and the entire police force of
Gary instituted a search for the girl and
her co-conspirator and although they
secured the woods from nine O'Clock
until two o'clock in the morning they
were unable to find any trace of the
fugitiVes.
1t is said that Edna Lucas and Joseph
CLARK have been associating together
There had been some trouble between
them and last night they met on Broad
way. in the vicinity of Seventeenth
street. It is understood that the Lucas
girl started the quarrel although no one
seems to known what was said.
Suddenly the girl turned to the negro
who accompanied her and said Give
me that knife" Before Clark knew
what had happened the. girl had a long
stilletto in her hand and sprang for
ward. Clark was caught off his guard
and the knife plunged into his side
He might have made his escape but he
did not think that the girl would &C
to such lengths with him.
In quick succession the enraged and
bloodthirsty girl plunged the knife into
the body of her victim until he finally
sank to the sidewalk and moaned, II an
stabbed. I'm stabbed"
Those who saw the stabbing were too
dazed to know what was going on unit
the whole terrible tragedy had been en-
acted and then several of them stepped
forward to prevent the escape of tn,
girl
IT was at this juncture that the bis
burly negro jumped between the crow,
= and said, Il fyou touch that girl yol
will get what is coming to you" TIL,
crowd was awed by the negro and h,
and the girl disappeared in the dark
ness.
1t was some time before the polio
finally arrived on the scene, ordered tn
removal of the wounded man to tn
: hospital and took up the chase for TIL
colored girl and her protector.
They traced her to the colored settle
ment in Gary and finally to the house o
a friend Here they found her slip
pers, and all of her clothes. They final
ly placed her suit of mems clothes
/, With this disguise she and the negr
}, hastily left the house and were no
|, seen afterwards. All of the efforts o
= the police to locate the pair after thi
a were unavailing as they were swallow
s edup by the darkness and had all of tn
e rest of tho night in which to escape.
= The polwe in all of the neighborin
s cities were notified and it is hoped Q
e course that the fugitives will be cap
e tured blu the success of the local de
# partment in arresting murderers in tn
past has been poor owing to the diff
culties which they have encounters
that 1t is not believed the negroes wi
II be captured.