Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-05-31
BEAT UP AND TAR
WOMAN AT NIGHT
THUGS, CLAIMING OFFICIAL PRO-
TEcTloN, SHOWER BLOWS AID
KICKS ON FEMALES BODY.
ASSAULT is MOST BRUTAL
Victim, Who Claims Defamatory Cos
sip Was Cause of Outrage, Says
She Recognized Three Men
Who Attacked Her.

Ocean City, Md.-Never has Wor
cester county been more stirred
than it is now over the action
of gang of thugs, who claiming Of
fetal protection, dragged Mary Holz-
man, an unprotected woman, from her
home in Ocean City, showered blows
and kicks upon her face and limbs
and concluded their brutal perform
ance by dipping her into vat of tar
in the presence of her 11-year-old son,
who struggled to prevent the outrage.
Terrorized by her experience, the wo-
man has quit the town. One of the
most startling features of the incident
is the fact that the town lights were
out when the assault was committed.
Mrs. Holman says the switch was
turned through the connivance of
town officials. However this may be,
the men guilty of the outrage boasted
while they were subjecting her to the
indignities that their act had the sane
ton of the town council.
Sheriff Harrison, acting under in
structions from States Attorney John
son, visited Mary Holman and it was
arranged that she should be taken to
Snow Hill, the county seat of Wor-
cester. She demanded an inquiry and
the incidents leading up to the assault,
claiming she has been the victim of
defamatory gossip as we'll as of an
assault so brutal that it seems almost
incredible to believe that any group
of human beings could have been
guilty of it.
at was 10 o'clock at night" she
said, when / was awakened by the
smashing of glass in the room where
/ slept. l was frightened, of course
Hardly had l time to put on few
clothes when the door was broken in
The crowd numbered about ten men
Three l recognized. The others l did
not know. When l screamed they
struck me and sometimes kicked me
Every tooth I have is loose and the
condition of my face you can see fol
yourself. My back and limbs are
black and blue from the blows and
kicks they gave me.
"Some of them grabbed me arount
the neck and others by the arms
They also caught my feet and, hold
ing me in this way, they started from
the house My son screamed wheI
l was first struck. They boxed hi:
face and threatened him. One mar
waved a big pocket knife, the kline
sailors carry. He threatened to ruI
it through me if l did not keep quiet
Another had an oar. He said h,
would knock out my brains. The!
rushed with me from the house to ;
barrel of tar into which l was thrown
They forced me down into it until m!
whole body was covered. Some of /
still clings to me-"
"The lights were out" she went on
"and they continued out for half al
hour. When the men finished thei
work the whole town was lighted a
usual. After l had been in the ia
barrel for perhaps ten minutes the
dragged me out, threw me on dry
ing board close by and walked slowl
, away, evidently satisfied that nothin
would be done about it.
+ 81 was too frightened to do any
thing, but the cries of my son attrac
ed the attention of Elmer Jones, so
of Captain Jones of the Isle of Wrigh
l life saving station. He told me t
| come to his fathers house. A gallo
of coal oil must have been used i
5 getting the tar off and still some of
: sticks"