The San Francisco call., 1909-05-07
Mrs. Helen Boyle AssaiIed
With BrOOms and Sticks
in Mercer Streets
Husband Is Convicted for Steal
ing Willie WhitIa and Her
Trial Is Begun
Although Handcuffed, Female
Prisoner Is Undaunted by
Threats of Lynching
Is seiol Dspotoh to The Call

n MERCER. Pa. May e.-Mrs. Helen
N Boyle. the alleged kidnaper of
Willie Whitla, was attacked in
the streets OF Mercer this evening by
mob OF nearly 600 women while
she was en- route from the courthouse
10 the jail By the combined efforts
OF several ministers and scores of bust
ness men assisting Sheriff William
Chess and his deputies the mob was
kept from doing the woman bodily
harm. AS it was she was jostled, but
dehantly wanted 10 mix up with the
crowd, many OF whom were armed with
clubs and stones The woman was
being taken from the courthouse with
her husband, James H. Boyle, who had
early in the afternoon been convicted
OF kidnapping Willie Whitla by jury
that had been out a few minutes Mrs
Boyle was Immediately placed on trial
and IL was after the court had closed
for the day that the demonstration
outside the courthouse occurred
Attack With BroOmS
Mrs. Boyle had been taken from the
Jail at 2:3O o'clock. and the news
scattered over the town that she was
in the courthouse and a mob began to
gather. BY the time Deputy Sheriff
William Stuart slipped the steel hand
cuffs on the woman's right hand, al
lowing her TO conceal her hand in the
left pocket OF his coat, and Saey came
=
grown TO about 1000. and more than
ns1 OF II was composed of women
There's the dirty hussy; they won't
need = jury il they let me at her.
shouted a big woman. trying to get
TO the smaller Mrs. Boyle.
Hussy yourself, go home and wash
veur dirty face" snorted Mrs. Boyle,
slipping her hand out OF Stuart's
pocket and starting FOR the angry anna
zon. handcuffed though she was. The
mob's rage burst all bonds. The
women screamed and jostled the dep
uty and Mrs. Boyle of the sidewalk
many trying to hit her with brooms
or sticks.
Let Us hang her-get the rope-get
the rope screamed some of the mob,
while some one threw an egg which
broke on a tree near the woman.
Defies Her AssaiIants
Rev. J. S. Duncan. pastor of the First
Presbyterian church. did his best to
psoify the angry women. Badly
flushed and angry, Mrs. Boyle was
finally taken to the Jail doors. Turn
ing. she said loud enough TO be heard
by many who had been worrying her:
II they would let me Ia make you
al climb trees in two minutes"
BoyIe's trial lasted only few hours.
Willie WhitIa told his story of the
kidnapping. and no defense was made.
Mrs. Boyle was Immediately placed
on trial charged with aiding in the
kidnapping. Hardly had the jury been
sworn in hte woman's case when the
lawyers became engaged in an argu-
ment regarding the admission Of GER
tain testimony and the case was ad-
journed until tomorrow.
Mrs. Boyle Selects Jurors
Ers. Boyle took prominent part in
tn selection Of her jury, prompting
her attorneys in numerous cases and
showing a preference for young, un-
married jurors.
That BoyIe's trial came 10 such an
abrupt ending was due to the fact
that 2 strong case had been made
against him. Witnesses told of nearly
every movement he made before the
night of the abduction to his arrest in
Cleveland
The penalty is from one year to
life sentence in the penitentiary. Sem
tence was not pronounced.
Dali ING GIVES NAV