The Mena weekly star., 1911-11-30
TAR PARTYS VICTIM
TELLS OF OUTRAGE
Miss Chamberlain Tells of Torture
TO Which She Was Subjected by
Mob OF Kansas Males-0n
Stand Half an Hour.

Licoln. Kas., Nov. 2i.-This was
Mary Chamberlain day in court in
the tar party case. Facing three
of the men accused Of completely
in assaulting her on a country road
north of Shady Bend on the night
of August Z and in a crowded room
she told her terrifying experience
Her story was dramatic for its
simplicity. She gave a coherent
narrative of the episode in a low,
even voice. Not once did she en-
tirely lose her self-control. Nor did
she speak with any feeling against
the defendants. Had she been tell
ing of the experiences Of some
other person she could not have
been calmer.
Crowd Showed Interest.
Throughout the time she was on
the stand she addressed the jury,
and every juryman gave her story
the closest attention. On cross
examination her story was unshak-
en-.
A crowd of men, the majority of
whom have attended every session
of the trial since it started, in the
hope that they might be present
when she recited her story, strained
their ears in an effort to catch ev-
cry word, and carefully avoided
making any move that might inter
rupt her. Perhaps a hundred men
who could not find seats in the little
circuit courtroom, and boys who
were barred because of their youth,
WED with one another outside the
doors for places near the entrance
in the hope that they might catch
word of her testimony.
On Stand Half an Hour.
The girls examination lasted
about half an hour. The defense
reserved the right to recall her
later. With the completion of her
testimony the state rested its case.
The defense Immediately began It's
examination of witnesses and f0|
had been questioned when adjourn
ment was taken tonight.
1t was not the freshness of Miss
Chamberain's story that held the
interest of the throng, for she told
little that was not known. Her mar
rative set forth how Edward Ricord
a village barber, had decoyed her
out into the country on the pretense
of going TO a dance, his alleged in
suits and their decision to return
home.
When they had gone short dis
lance a party of five masked men
dragged her from the buggy, while
RicOrd fled. She told of the subse~
quent pouring Of tar on her body
and limbs by one man while others
rubbed it in with their hands. How
by this experience she was rendered
unconscious and later awOke to find
herself being driven home by the
companion who had deserted her,
and how the tar chung TO her BODY
for days after the assault.
Men Not Recognized.
She said she failed to recognize
any of her assailants. The differ
ent viewpoints of the plaintiff and
at least one of defendants regard
ing the case stood out plainly when
the defense offered the testimony
of James Booze few minutes after
Miss Chamberlain had finished her
dramatic story. Booze started TO
the tar party" but did not reach
there.
"Why did you wish to gof" he
was asked by Prosecutor Mechanics
Il just wanted to see the fun he
replied. 80
''By fun, you mean the process OF
nutting tar on Miss chamberlain.
YES"
The evidence introduced by the
defense consisted of several wit
nesses who testified to the good
character of the men who are on
trial. and statements from some re-
garding gossip against the charac-
ter of Miss Chamberlain.
In arguing the case before the
Jury Prosecutor Mechanics bitterly
assailed the conditions which pre-
vented the heaviest punishment LOT
tarring in Kansas and made an I'M
FASHIONED plea to the jury IN the
ftar party case this afternoon.
Prosecutor McCanless said: Il re-
greet the laws are so lame, our leg
islature so lax, that after an Of
Tense of this nature is committed
we must be content with sending