The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-11-23
GIRL TAR VICTIM
|. TELLS HER STORY
Young Teacher Describes Attack
by Kansas Mob.
GREAT CROWD AT HEARING
Testimony Adduced Causes More Seri.
GUS View of Affair Which Has
Been Regarded by Many
Hugh Joke.

Lincoln Center Kan, Nov. o.
Mary Chamberlain, the Shady Bend
schoolteacher, told details Of the at
tack upon her when she was tarred
by Number of men at the trial OF
Edward Ricord and four others before
crowd of spectators that filled every
inch OF space in the courtroom and
her recital aroused the greatest in
terest
Plunges Into Earring Story.
After telling of the motive of her
employment in store at Shady Bend
she plunged into her story. She said
Ricord invited her to a dance August
and that they started for Beverly
about $50 p. m.
How was his conduct toward you?"
asked the prosecutor.
His remarks were indecent" she
replied
What did you say"
81 told him If he was going to act
that way | wanted to go back home.
We talked little and then We turned
and started back toward Shady Bend"
What happened at the top of the
hill on the way back to town."
Five masked men took me from
the buggy Three of them carried me
around behind the buggy, threw me
down and smeared tar over my Shout
ders and my lower limbs"
Did you recognize any of Them"
mot then"
n 10
was over by the fence.
Odd he assist you in any way?
Ale did not
Called on Escort for Help.
Odd you call to Ed. to help
. you? Ayes, two or three times.
Q-What happened then? A
One of the men then raised my
clothes over my head. Another poured
tar on my lower limbs and two
smeared II around.
Odd the treatment you received
that night make you lame? Alt
did.
Q-How did you get back into the
buggy? Al don't remember.
Odd Ricord accompany you back
to town? Ale did.
Odd you see any men in the
road as you were going back to town?
Ayes, four of them.
Q.-What did Ricord do? A
Whipped up the horse.
Whole Body Is smeared.
The witness said not only her
shoulders and limbs but also her
breast and arms were smeared with
tar. Her clothing, she testified, was
ruined.
Odd you succeed in getting all
of the tar off of your body that night
Al did not, nor the next night.
Prosecutor McCanless asked the
witness II she knew any of the men
she met in the road.
Eyes, l recognized Sheriff. Clark,
A. ~ Simms and James Booze" she
answered
Testimony Changes Opinion.
The testimony of Edward Ricord,
the barber decoy who betrayed the
school teacher. of Chester Anderson
and Delbert Kindelsparger, has caused
hush to fall upon corner conclaves
In which the 'tar party" previously
had been largely discussed in the
light of joke. Grim details given in
evidence have created a generally
more serious view of what is now
often styled "the county's disgrace"
Threat of Prison for Girl.
Ricord told of meeting Sheriff.
Clark, one of the defendants, on the
Sunday following the attack.
What do you think they will do to
me?" Ricord testified he asked Clark.
"If they send you to the peniten.
tiary," the witness alleged Clark said,
"Mary will go, too, as have evidence
which will convict her"
The witness said Chester Anderson
proposed to him that he take Miss
Chamberlain driving, and detailed
plan they discussed for Ricord and
the school teacher to be found in
compromising position by the "tar
party"
Says Sheriff Menaced Him.
Has anyone told you that If you
testified you had improper relations
with Miss Chamberlain you would be
sent to PRISON." Attorney McCurdy
asked suddenly.
Ricord.l was averse to answering and
asked the court If reply was COM
pulsory Told that 1t was. Ricord
said
Sheriff Wolford."
Ricord testified that he twice at
tempted familiarities with Miss Cham
berlain while they we're in the buggy,
and that she had reputsel him.
She would not stand for my put
ting my arm around her and she said
she wanted me. to turn around and go
home" he said
Sheriff Wolford followed Ricord on
the stand The sheriff made gen
eral denial OF Records charge against
him ag