The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-08
ATTACKS A GIRL
Robert Chesney, a Negro, In
jures Rose Applicant, Aged Ia.
Santa Fe Waterman Rescues
Her From AssaiIant.

Rosie Applicant, II years old and
small, was thrown into a patch of
weeds near the Santa Fe shops and
bitten. bruised and beaten shortly be-
fore O'Clock this morning by a negro
degenerate, Robert Chesney, a re-
formatory graduate, who is under ar
rest.
The assault took place in vacant
space grown to weeds just west of the
old Santa Fe blacksmith shops and off
with the girl when she was attacked,
but fed. William Morris, an elderly
negro Waterman employed by the
Santa Fe ran to her rescue when he
heard her screams from the shop
yards and grappled with her assailant
but was not strong enough to hold him.
The girl is a daughter of John APP
pleanz-- an employee in the shops. and
lives at 12S North Chandler street
They are Russians and Rosie has not
learned to talk the English language
She was unable to give a description
CT the negro without an Interpreter,
but the old Waterman gave the police
an accurate description upon Which
they made the arrest of Robert Ches-
ney five hours later.
Morris described rather black
negro with a weak degenerate face,
weak protruding eyes whose lids seem
ed to be kept lifted with difficulty,
dark trousers and cap and gray coat.
= small moustache and general
captured at the home of his cousin,
VIII King. 511 East First street,
where he was pulling a pair of over
alls over his dark trousers, had dis
carded his coat and cap. replacing
them with another coat and a black
hat. The arrest was made by Ser
geant Garden and Patrolman Frazier,
negro officer, well acquainted in
that region. A half dozen men we're
detailed on the case at roll call this
morning just as the report reached the
Rosie Applicant is employed at the
Seymour packing plant and was on
her way to work. The four women
who were in the party were also Rus
SLAMS and on their way to their work.
Three of them are employed at the
Kuehne preserving works and Rosie
and another woman are employed at
the Seymour plant The negro had
followed them several blocks and had
gotten within a few yards of them
when they neared the Santa F'e bridge
across the Kaw. Three were walking
ahead VIXEN the negro seized the girl
The three women ahead ran across the
bridge and the fourth ran west, leav-
ing Rosie at the mercy CT her assail-
ant until her screams brought Watch
man Morris. who arrived in time to
prevent her serious injury
Chesney was badly frightened when
taken to the city prison and spIuttered
explanations as fast as they occurred to
him. He claimed he had been over the
Just gone to his cousins house shortly
before the officers came there. He offered
no excuse for CHANGING his clothes and
was unable TO find his can At the prison
he objected to being locked up and re
fused 10 give up his cousins hat when an
officer asked for 1t TO take back s-rc try
TO trade for the cap. He had to be han
died roughly before he would be peace
able Further he said his name was
Chestnut and not Chesney but the officers
have known him and insist his name is
spelled Chesney- He is . years old
He was sentenced to the reformatory
May s. 1906. for grand larceny his age
permitting him TO escape the penitentiary-
He was released last April but has not
been seen much in Topeka and the police
do not know where he has been He al
ways had bad reputation here.
The police secured Chesney's clothes
that he wore this morning and put them
on him and took him before William
Morris this afternoon and he was idenu-
fled by the Waterman as the negro he
dragged away from Rosie Applicant this
morning
The girl will be taken TO the prison TO
see Chesney and Will be interviewed by an
Interpreter to get her story and her iden-
fiffcatfon of her assailant- Other Of the
Russian women may also be used partic-