The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-08-17
IRATE FATHER WHIPS ACCUSED
Mcconnell Claims That Charges Against
Him are False but Admits He Had
Been Drinking Just Before He Met
the Little Girls.

Another alleged sensational crime
was revealed to the police late Monday
evening III the arrest Of Robert Neon
nell, employed by the city IS street
laborer and a resident of Kenosha for
many years Mcconnell is now in the
city lookup awaiting a hearing on a
charge of taking indecent liberties with
three little girls ranging n age from
three to six years. Two Of the children
were daughters of F. johnson of Julius
street while the third was six year old
daughter of M. Murdick residing on
Ashland avenue.
According to the story told by the
children the attack on them was made
at the Kenosha City cemtery just af-
ter five O'Clock and it was nearly after
eight Clock before Mcconnell was ar
rested and landed in Jail. Mcconnell
was arrested by Chief Of Police O Hare
OH Elizabeth street after Murdick, the
father of one of the girls who had been
attacked had made the complaint.
While the chief was ringing in call
for the patrol wagon Murdick, who was
present when the arrest was made, at
tackled Mcconnell ana gave him terri
fc beating and threatened to kill him.
1t is probable that Mcconnell would
have been roughly banded by the
crowd which assembled quickly had it
not been for the prompt ~rrival of the
patrol wagon. Mcconnell seemed re.
lieved when he was placed IN the city
lookup He. denied that he had done
anything wrong with the little girls
and asserted that they had insisted on
following him over into the cemetery
| notwithstanding the fact that he had
attempted to drive them home.
The children came running to their
homes just before six O'Clock with
their clothing torn and as soon as they
old of the attack that had beer made
Upon them the fathers started out look
ing for the man. The children claimed
that Mcconnell had met them at the
corner of Congress and Julius streets
and had enticed them to the cemetery
where he attacked the two older girls
The little johnson child was not at
tackled The condition Of the child
rem s clothing left no doubt as to the
ers believing that the children had been
assaulted by some tramp went out
along the railroad tracks searching for
him. Later the report was made to
the police and they at once got busy
on the story and found that the child
rem had been seen with Mcconnell Just
before the time the crime was alleged
to have been committed.
Mcconnell is SIS years of age and has
been employed by the city for some
time. He worked on Monday morning
and at the Jail admitted that he had
been drinking OH Monday afternoon
People who saw Mcconnell insisted that
he was intoxicated when he was taken
into custody by Chief O'Hare Monday
night. Mcconnell declared that the
whole story was false and that he had
not asked the children to go with him
into the cemetery. He showed great
fear Of the fathers of the little child
rem and insisted that he would demand
the protection of the police when he
was taken into court. The police and
the District Attorney are making a Wig
orous inquiry into the case and Me
iConneil will not be given a hearing
until late this afternoon. The story of
the three little girls is SO clear that
the police declare that there can be
little doubt but that they were at
tackled and that the evidence points
strongly to the guilt of Mcconnell.
The accused man has lived in Kenosha
for years and his arrest caused a sen
sation.