Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-27
SENSATIONAL aroaY TOLD pAv.
EXPORT POLICE ~ TWO
LADS.
CLAIM LITTLE GIRL WAS
THROWN INTO MIssissiPPt
Two Men Drown Child, According 70
eoys' Report, and Investigation 10
Mads-Rivsr May b Dragged in
Effort 70 Find 6ody-story Given
crsdsnes.


q 4-year-old child was reported to the
police yesterday.
The two informants Of the tragedy
were Tommy ana Louis Truesdale,
aged II and s years respectively. Both
appeared at the police headquarters
and excitedly told Of having been the
witnesses to q murder of little girl,
the supposed crime having taken place
at the foot of Division street. The
child was thrown from the railroad
bridge into the river.
Child Thrown Into River.
According to the story narrated by
the youthful couple, they were play
ing along the river bank back OF the
Glucose works when they noted two
men hurrying onto the bridge. One or
them carried a little girl apparent
ly 4 or years Of age in his arms and
the other held his hand over the
child's mouth to stifle her outcries.
When they were about so feet out
from the Iowa shore, the man carry
ing the girl lifed her in his arms and
tossed her into the waters. shrlli
scream escaped the victim OF the trag-
edy and before her scream had ended
the river closed over her. She was
not seen again and it is certain that
she was drowned Immediately.
Tied Hand and Foot.
When telling Of the sight which
may develop into murder. little
Thomas Truesdale said both he and
his brother Louis had seen the entire
affair.
81 was playing near the edge Of the
river" said young Truesdale, and
near me was Louis. We heard some
men talking loudly and when we
looked up on the bridge, we saw two
men walking out on the trestle carry
ing a little girl in their arms. The
girl was tied, she had ropes around
her feet and hands. / could see every
thing that happened. One of them
held his hand over the little girls
mouth so she could not scream"
Throw Her Far Out.
when the two men. got little way
from shore, they stopped and after
looking around for a minute. gave the
girl big swing and threw her into
the river. I heard her scream as she
fell into the water. They threw her
as far from the bridge as they could.
Both men then hurriedly left the
bridge and went back on shore where
they disappeared in the woods. I don't
know where they went or who they
were. Both men were dressed In
black clothes and wore black hats.
They were about the same size.
Police Investigate.
| AS soon as the stories Of the two
| boys was heard and number OF ques-
| lions asked them, an investigation
was begun by the police. Officer Wit
trock took both boys to the scene OF
the drowning and they went over the
field together. The boys told
straight story and were able to aF-
swer without variance. every question
put to them. ,sy
| The police are inclined to place con-
siderable creditability in the story
| told by the boys and it is probable
that the river will be dragged In the
| vicinity of the supposed murder.
Case 10 a Mystery.
! AS far as the investigation has been
conducted. the affair has only proven
to be a deep mystery. No one else
heard the drowning scream OF the lit
tie victim of the river. but this Is
possible because Of the comparatively
uninhabited surroundings. The Mil
waukee railroad at this point has a
.rY'' track which leads to the Crescent
bridge. In the neighbcrhood are a
number of scattered shanty boats
where fishermen live the year around.
Farther out in the river is an island
near which a young married woman
met her death only week ago by
drowning.
No reports have been made to the
police OF lost child and until this is
done, it will prove difficult to trace
| the mystery. Every effort possible Is
being made to verify the story told
by the two witnesses. Both boys live
| IN the vicinity Of the reported crime