The San Francisco call., 1909-02-08
GIRL VICTIM OF
BRUTAL CRIME
IN SAN RAFAEL
Elizabeth Grapes Struck Down
and Gagged Near the
Courthouse
Attacked While Listening to
Music Where Dance Was
in Progress
hlghwaymen Are Active and
Reign of Terror Exists in
Marin Town
Especial Dispoich TO The Call

Especial Dispoich to The Call
SAN RAFAEL, Feb. THE pitiful
spectacle Of nude girl. pleading for
succor at the door Of the house of
George Beardsley in Fifth street near
Petaluma avenue at o'clock last night
was the first intimation given that a
terrible crime had been committed
within three blocks of the county court
house against Miss Elizabeth Grapes. a
- year old girl employed with the
Marin Journal While the crime was
being perpetrated a dance was in
progress at Army hail. 100 yards away.
STRUCK DOWN AND GAGGED
An unknown man had walked up be-
hind the girl as she was passing the
front Of the house formerly occupied
by N. Blascom. struck her to the
ground with a club, dragged her
through a sodden vacant lot under a
hedge. gagged her and then carried
her unconscious and disrobed body out
TO the street again and TO the porch of
the Blascom house. There he left her.
suffering severely from her awful ex-
perience. the girl reused herself and
went 10 the door Of the BeardsIey house.
Beardsley was not at home. and a nurse
who was at the house, seeing the start
ling condition Of the girl, feared that
she was demented and left her standing
on the cold porch while she telephoned
FOR aid. Then three young girls of San
Rafael, Misses Mary. Katherine and
Margaret Collins, passing the house,
were appealed to by Miss Grapes. The
Misses Collins shared their wraps with
her and took the girl TO her home in
Petaluma avenue. where she has been
living with her aunt Mrs. c. Goetfried.
HIGHWAYMEN ACTIVE
At II o'clock, several hours after the
fearful assault on the Grapes girl, G.
Aric was attacked by a highwaynlan at
home at Sixth and D streets. and at
Y o'clock this morning Frank Perry
s-aS followed by a suspicious character
a. his home at Sixth and G streets. The
police believe that the same man was
involved in the outrage against Miss
Grapes and in the two attempted hold
urs.
san Rafael is in state OF terror to-
night No girls or women are seen in
the streets without escorts, and every
suspicious loiterer is called to task by
the police force
Sheriff ". P. Taylor worked on the
Grapes case today. He interviewed the
young woman. who lay at her home in 2
serious condition She was frightfully
maltreated by the wretch. and it was
feared that her skull might have been
fractured by the blows which the brute
rained on her head. Dr. H. O. Hewitt
and Dr. ". J. wickman, who attended
her. said today that her skull was not
fractured and that she would recover.
The man who attacked me was
rather tall and Slim" said Miss Cranes
this evening. He was smooth shaven
and had on dark clothes and dark
sIouch hat. could identify him If
be were brought before me-
Practically the only clew that the
culprit left was a blue bandana hand
kerchief, which he used to gag the girl
A gray ready made bow necktie was
found near the scene of the crime and
distinct footprints made by a No. 8
or No. 81 shoe, were discovered in the
Blascom garden. The print was clear
showing that the heels and soles of
lthe shoe were in good repair. A Young
taan without a necktie went into Steve's
restaurant here at 1920 O'Clock last
night The police are now trying to
locate him
Il have investigated several persons
today in regard to this crime" said
Sheriff Taylor this evening. Each one
has been able to clear himself of sus-
picion. 7 searched the room of a negro
named John Mills in the california
hotel, but found nothing of suspicious
nature. I have yet to land Mills. Miss
Grapes says that she can identify her
RsssiIant. She says she knows Mills
and once he accosted her in the street
but I have nothing to indicate that a
negro committed this crime"
LISTENS TO THE MUSIC
The general belief Of the sheriff
deputies is that a white foreigner at
tackled Miss Grapes. Jack KinseIla
passed the scene Of the outrage shortly
before Miss Grapes was attacked He
saw the girl as she was standing listen
ing to dance music being played in the
armory hall a block away. He also
saw a young man, about 3 feet IL inches
or 6 feet tall. smooth shaven and ap-
parently weI dressed, standing near
the girl. He thought at the time that
the couple had made a tryst at the
place.
Miss Grapes mother lives in Sar
Francisco Her brother was recently
killed in an accident at the Royal
TrTonrfcro