Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-30
SNEAKTHIEF BEATS WOMAN
Mrs. Clarence Hough Victim Of Brutal
Assault in Her Own Home.
ONLY FEW DOLLARS SECURED
Found Unconscious on Dining Room
Floor when Her sister Called
Few MInutes After As
snilant Had Fled.

Mrs. Hough. wife Of Captain Clarence II.
Hough Of hose company No. 4. was at
tackled and beaten unconscious while alone
at her home, 152 Vine street. last evening
by an unidentified thief. who succeeded In
securing only a few dollars from Mrs.
Hough's pocketbook.
Mrs. Hough's presence of MIND prevented
the thief from securing two valuable dia-
mond rings. As the fellow entered the
room demanding her ~pocketbook Mrs.
Hough placed the two rings in her mouth,
the act evidently being unnoticed by her
assailant.
Mrs. Hough was preparing to join a num-
Der Of relatives and friends in a surprise
party on her mother, Mrs. Julius Lund.
who lives nearby on the same street, and
was awaiting their arrival. Hearing a
knock at the side door leading into the
dining room Mrs. Hough opened the door.
supposing 1t was some Of the members of
the party. Instead Of any of her friends
a strange man entered and at once de-
manded that Mrs. Hough hand him her
pocketbook. Mrs. Hough had placed her
jacket and hat on a chair in the parlor
and she pointed to the jacket, telling the
fellow that the pocketbook was in it. As
the mar made a move toward the Jacket
Mrs. Hough placed the two diamond rings
which she had in her hand about to put
on her fingers in her mouth.
Whether the fellow attacked Mrs. Hough
before taking the money from the pocket.
book or after could not be learned last
night, as Mrs. Hough was hysterical when
she recovered consciousness.
Sister Discovers Crime,
Mrs. Hough was discovered lying uncon-
scious on the dining room floor by her
sister, Mrs. Ouren, who entered the house
by the side door with several others Of
the surprise party. Reaching for the teie-
phone to call the police, Mrs. Ouren dis.
covered that whoever had attacked her
sister had cut the telephone cord, maxi
ing the instrument useless. 1t was shortly
before $50 that Mrs. Ouren arrived at
the Hough nome and as Captain Hougn
had been talking to his wife over the tele-
phone from No. 4 engine house about Sis
the attack and robbery must have been
committed in that interim.
The pocketbook, emptIed Of its contents,
was found lying on the floor Of the par
Tor, which adjoins the dining room.
Mrs. Ouren noticed that when she
reached the side door of the house a dog
belonging to the Houghs was barking furI-
ously in the back yard and It is supposed
N'NN NV NhANA wac at Ina llIle making
his escape by the back door and probably
across indian creek.
Dr.. r. Il. Tubbs, city physician, happened
to be at the police headquarters when the
report of the attack was received there
and he at once fastened with two officers
to the house. 1t was some time before
Mrs. Hough regained consciousness and
when she partially came TO the first thing
she did was to place her land over her
mouth and 1t was then found that the
two diamond rings which members Of her
family supposed the thief had secured were
In her mouth. 1t was with some diff
Guilty that DIR. Tubbs could induce the
half conscious woman to allow him to re-
move the rings from her mouth.
Two bad bruises on her forehead and
one on her jaw indicated that the brute
had struck Mrs. Hough three heavy blows
with his fist. 1t was the opinion of DR..
Tubbs that the blow on the Jaw was the
one that rendered her unconscious.
Mrs. Hough was unable to give any de-
s~cription of her assailant last night ow-
ing to her nervous condition. 1t is believed
by the police that the robbery and attack
were committed by some person who was
aware of the fact that Mrs. Hough was
alone in the house,