Rock Island Argus., 1915-11-26
STRUCK ON HEAD
WITH AK AS she
AROSE FROM BED
Mrs. Mabel Woodward Assaulted by
Unknown Man at O'clock
This Morning.
ESCAPE FROM DEATH A MIRACLE
Police Confronted With Mystery. Only
Two Motives Advanced and Neith-
er Greatly Substantiated.

room al / O'Clock THIS morning, Mrs.
Mabel Woodward. 1926 Fifth avenue,
vas struck a telling blow on the skull
from an Ak in the hard Of a man. She
yelied and the assailant fed. no one in
the house seeing him as far as could
be learned,
She was not killed nor was she rem
derad unconscious, although she suf-
fared cash four inches long and
bruIsa three inches in diameter on
either side of the head near the crown.
A blow fraction of an inch lower
would nave been fatal
Neither members Of her family nor
police are satisfied with any of the mo-
tives thus far advanced Only two
loom Up as possible causes, but there
is not sufficient evidence TO substan-
tiate either They are:
That uer assaiiant was burglar,
and fearing detection struck her with
the IA when she arose.
Thai she was mistaken for Mrs
Lon Mercer, who lives in the same
house and was struck by siciIian out
= Of revenge. since Mrs. Mercer testi-
fed in the Scire murder case,
Her assailant secured the weapon
in the hack yard Of the place, The
kitchen door was unlocked and he en-
tered through this MIR aud Mrs. Lon
Mercer live in the downstairs part or
the house and Mrs Woodward and her
husband. Henry Woodward, reside up
stairs.
Extinguishes Lights.
The intruder exttnguished the kero-
sene lamp which was burning in the
parior OF the Mercer home to avoid
being seen when he left. He then
clambered a winding stairway leading
to the upstairs, where the Woodwards
reside He went into the room of Lee
Martin brother Of Mrs. Woodward.
and eEtiuguished a kerosene lamp
burning there He then rifed the
pockets Of Martins clothes and goa
some change, less than dollar,
Up 10 this point no one had heard
him, and he next entered the room
occupied by Mrs Woodward Her
husband was sleeping in the bed be-
side her She heard noise and half
raised up, when she was knocked back
win the blow from the ak.
She yelled and everyone in the house
vas awakened, They heard the man
running down the stairway and out
the front door of The house, but no one
was quick enough to get a glimpse Of
him A doctor was called and he
dressed the injuries The police In
the meantime were notified They Sc
cured The ak which the assailant drop
ped in the he'd room. It shows faint
traces of blood The bed Was covered
with blood
To an Argus reporter Mrs. Wood
ward told her story. She was well
enough TO talk and chatted with neigh
bors who came in to see her, although
she will be compelled to remain in bed
for some time. She said:
The children were playing with
The ak in the yard yesterday after
noon He got it there, The back door
VAS not locked and he had no trouble
geltius in the house, When he reach
ed the parlor he blew out the light
and then went to my brothers. room.
My brother usually reads before he
goes to bed and he left the light burn
q u hat q n
went through my brothers clothes.
Then he came in here, He must have
gone through my husbands trousers
too. for they were empty this morning.
Ny husband was in bed beside me.
All 7 can remember is that | raised
up IN bed and then he struck me.
threw my hands to my head and yell
Cd l woke my husband and every
body in The house, The blood jus'
guShed from my head and covered my
hair and ;he bed. ! was rather dazed
but not unconscious. knew what
was happening. But kept screaming
7 know that Il was man because
heard the heavy footsteps as he ran
GOWN The stairs,
Could Not See Him.
Won see ! could not see who he
was. II the room would have been
lighted perhaps l would not have been
able 70 see him, because he struck
me ard then ran. AZ ii WAS, the room
vas IN darkness, ] had previously
pulled up the curtain and be could
see the white Of the bed and / suppose
aeari and family saw me when
raised up, They found the Ak in the
room He dropped 1t after he struck
me,@
A neighhor who came IN to see Mrs
Woodward deplored the fact that the
wounds may ruin the beauty OF her
halr. Mrs. Woodward, who is n years
ald' has thick. heavy hair, and she also
expressed the fear that the cash and
osulse will ruin enough hair to spoil
It's appearance
The police are bafIed. however, un-
aoie to solve the mystery back of the
Ssanlt- Every effort was expended
immediately following the attack tc
apprehend the assailant, but with nc
description the patrolmen had but lit
ne upon which to work