The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-08-28
Was Alone In Home Yesterday
When Stranger Calls; He
Uses chloroform.
Sheriff Not Notified of The At
fair Until This Morning;
No Arrests Made.
From Fridays Daily.

FROM fridays Daiy.
This story appeared in The st. Paul
Pioneer Press this morning:
Vernon Center, Mimi, Aug. 90
Afoot and on horseback, in buggies
and in automobiles, residents of Blue
Earth county are searching for an un-
identified man who today seized and
chloroformed and then assaulted
young girl on farm near here. If
the fugitive is captured, say the search
ers, he win stretch hemp"
Edith Salisbury, daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Almond Salisbury, living near
Willow Creek, an inland postoffice, was
the victim of the brutal outrage.
Alone in the House.
Miss Saulshnry's parents had gone
to Amboy and she was alone at home.
She was washing the windows on the
outside of the house at about $50
o'clock this morning when the Grim
inal approached her from behind.
He threw over her head cloth
saturated with clroroform, saying:
81 was here before when you was
asleep. Now I'll put you to sleep"
The man carried the girl into the
house and assaulted her. When she re-
vived about an hour later she dragged
herself TO the telephone land summoned
help.
Man Hunt Is Begun.
The surrounding country was imme-
diately in arms and posses, organ.
lied by farmers, left the fields and
began a systematic man hunt. Several
automobiles engaged in the search,
which has thus far proved frritless.
If the girls assailant is caught he
probably viii be lynched, and unless
the capture is so long delayed that
popular anger subsidies.
Miss Salisbury did not see her as
sailant nor recognize his voice.
Sheriff Not Notified.
The sheriff's office in this city was
not notified of the alleged assault on
Miss Salisbury until about ten o'clock
this. morning when The Free Press
called up the officials there to learn
further, details of the affair. 1t seems
strange that the commission of such a
crime could occur within a COMPARE
lively few miles of Mankato and the
proper authorities not be apprised OF
the fact.
The man hunt was continued
throughout last night without result.
Two or three suspected parties were
interviewed, but they could give good
account of themselves. Sentinels were
posted at the entrances of every bridge
in the Willow Greek country, so as to
prevent the escape of the assailant OF
the girl.
Miss Salisbury is about twenty-five
years old.
The only way to account for the
failure of the posse to notify the
sheriff or police in this city is that
the crowd wanted to engage in q neck
tie party-in case the criminal was
caught-without interference.
Sheriff Takes Up Case.
This afternoon Sheriff Donahue had
an interview with Mr.. Salisbury over
the phone. His version of the assault
upon his daughtet is similar to that
given above.
Deputy Sheriff Chamberlain of Am
boy has interested himself in the case
and he did everything possible to aid
in running down the culprit.
There was report in circulation
today that man living in the Willow
Creek district was suspected OF the
crime, but clews to the perpetrator
are slender. The young lady told the
same story today that she related
yester1ly.