The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-21

Ed Ricord. the Shady Bend barber.
used to decoy Miss Mary Cham berlain
INTO the country near Shady Bend when
she was given a coat of tar. caused
a sensation of the day in court here
when he declared under oath thai he
had been intimate with the woman
he decoyed from home. He also de-
clared that he had been told by the
sheriff of Lincoln county that IL he
made that statement upon the witness
stand he would be sent 10 the penitsn-
tiary.
His Plans AIisoarrfed.
Disgusting details OF the plot were
exposed by his statement that it ,as
arranged by him with the Clark broth
promising position with her at the
crossroads where 1t was planned the
tarring OF the girl should occur. Then
ne admitted, ne was unable to carry
out TINS part Of the program. He was
returning nome with the girl al her
request when the tarring occurred
Contrary to the general expectation.
Miss Mary Chamberlain did not take
the witness stand in the tar party
case at the morning session OF the
trial here today. After the noon ad-
Journment Prosecutor McCanless said
he intended to close his case with the
testimony of the school teacher vic
tim of the assault
Girl Fought Him OFF.
The new feature I'm the conspiracy
against the girl developed in the cross
examination of Edward Ricord. a con-
fessed assailant OF the young woman
He testified he had planned to commit
an immoral act before the eyes OF the
mob at the point selected for the stag
ing of the "tarring party" The band
was then to have attacked the girl
Miss Chamberlain repulsed him he
said, and this the scheme was foiied.
Ricord also admitted that he had
been threatened with penitentlarv
sentence if he testified that he had
been intimate with Miss Cham berlain.
who made the threat?" Ricord was
asked.
Samuel C. wolford. the sheriff"
replied the witness.
Later wolford took the stand and
denied having made any such state
ment to the barber.
Did you know" asked Attorney
McCurdy. when you started on the
trip that the intention was to tar Miss
Chamberlain? ?"
II did not" he answered
Tries TO Attack Girl.
on redirect examination Ricord tes-
titled that he made two attempts 70 at
tack Miss Chamberlain while they
were in the buggy. but was uusuccess-
full.
she would not stand for me putting
my arm around her and said she want
ed me to turn around and go home. he
said
Sheriff Wolford followed Ricord ON
the StdIl ne HltIllI entered a gem
eral denial of Records charge against
him.
Benjamin Painter. one OF four boys
who hid behind a hedge near the scene
of the attack. then testified. The fact
that the hedge was thick and his mem
ory poor prevented him from giving
any valuable testimony.
Seven Plan TO Tar Girl
Details of a meeting at Clark's
Shady Bend mill to plan the attack
were recited by Watson Scranton, the
next witness. He recently pleaded
guilty to assault and is awaiting SEN
tence- According to Scranton. Sher-
rill and +. G. Clark, Chester Ander-
son. A. n. Simms. Jay Fitzwater and
James Booze helped plan the attack.
The three men now on trial Sheriff.
Clark John Schmitt and a. n. Simms
did net parti' ipate in the attack Scr5n-
ton said but he met them on the road.
headed for the party"
Tar in Varnish Can.
Exhibit 'A"-A vsrnish can with
corncob stopper, Sail to contain paint
like that with which Miss Chamber
lain was "t&rrcd" was introduced I'm
with the testimony OF r. G.
Clark, a convicted member Of the party.
Clark said there was paint OF the same
kind in mis- mill. but ne would rot ad-
init he had furnished the tar" spread
on the school teacher.