Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1911-11-10
ASSAULTS SCHOOL TEACHER
Miss Nellie Meehan Victim Of
Brutal Outrage.

0o0DaA OPCiiO0 nv 0OOl Va hSA bNhOOA
Monday at $3.50 o'clock, having gone
early to light a fire, she was con-
fronted by a big tramp who had passed
the night in the building. The man at
tempt too criminally assault the young
woman but after a desperate struggle
he fled, evidently fea ring that some one
would hear her cries, the school house
being on the main street. The man
escaped but in two hours States At
torney B. L.. Stafford and Deputy
Sheriffs Henry r. Adams and Allen A.
Leonard and Chief of Police T.. c. Ell
worth had arrived from Rutland by
automobile to trail him.
Miss Meehan was driven to the school
house by E. H. Farnham, school directar,
at whose house she boards. He left i'm
mediately to get some little children
whom he carries to school and on re-
turning found Miss Meehan in a faint.
1t was necessary to call a physician to
attend her and she is suffering severely
from nervous shock.
Inc ilhl was bllCh SCI. Iliuuic dRcu
ard wore a moustache.
Not until dark Monday night was the
unsuccessful search for Miss Meehan's
assailant temporarily abandoned. Men
are watching the trains and railroad
track for the man at Rutland and at
Middlebury. The officers divided into
three squads and each, accompanied by
a dozen men armed with rifles, searched
carefully through the woods and old
buildings in Sudbury, Leicester and
Whiting.
Seldom has any occurrence caused
so much feeling in the vicinity. Farm
work was completely suspended and the
whole male population turned out to
search.
In spite of the heavy rains and winds
very few of the hundred or more armed
citizens of Sudbury and vicinity have
ceased in the search of the unknown
man who brutally assaulted Miss Nellie
Meehan at the schoolhouse there Mon
day morning. Tuesday night posses
were patrolling the roads and fields and
woods in the section where the man is
supposed to be in hiding. The story of
his description has spread throughout
that part of the country and the states
attorneys office in Rutland is f frequently
getting calls regarding clues and but
one arrest has been made.
The story of the struggle between the
school teacher and her assailant has in
famed everyone in that locality. The
man, who has yet to be identified, lay
in wait for Miss Meehan and when she
went into the shed at the school house
to get some wood he attacked her,
probably breaking a broom stick over
her head as three parts of a handle were
found by the officers.
The condition of Miss Mech an wasim-
proved Wednesday, although she was
confined to her bed. Mrs. Meehan, her
mother, went to Sudbury Tuesday to
care for her.
One arrest was made Tuesday morn
ing in this village, which, at first, gave
the officers some hope. Word was re-
ceived by Deputy Sheriff Noble San
ford and Chief of Police M. T. Butter
field that a man answering the descrip-
ton was hanging around the stock yards
of the railroad yards. He was immedi.
ately placed in the Addison county jail
and the Rutland officers notified. They
came to Middlebury by automobile and
for some time there was difficulty in
getting the man to answer any ques.
tons, he being so frightened that when
he did talk he was all twisted in his
time and dates. Finally he told OF
working for a man just north of Bran.
don and by the use of the telephone the
officers proved an alibi for him and he
was released.
Another clue took the sheriffs ovel
into Orwell. A man with a crimina
record stepped off the train Monday
night and according to several citizens
his dress answered the description o.
! Miss Meehan, but the running down O.
the clue showed that the man wa
dressed in a white collar and neckti,
with a colored shirt, and he was work
ing for his employer in New York Sun
l day night and was on the job Monda,
! morning.
What looked like the best clue of al
was run to earth Tuesday night
States Attorney Static I'd learned tina
two men from Sudbury, whose reputa
tons were not above par, left the tow
Saturday night by automobile, saying
. they were going to Ludlow to spenl
Sunday. The men were all traced t,
Ludlow and it was afterwards founC
e out that they registered at a hotel Their,
and left for home Monday morning.