The Topeka state journal., 1916-05-25
Ira McGhee, so Years Old, in
Attack on Girl of E1eveng
Sheriff Tells Story After Bring
ing Prisoner to Topeka.
ACT AROUSED ALL OSKALOOSA
Jefferson Co. Officials Feared
Mob in Home Town.
McGhee Told Shawnee Sheriff
He Was Ready to Plead Guilt.

That Ira McGhee made complete
confession to the effect that he at
tempted an assault yesterday upon the
II year old daughter of Archie Lar
kins, clerk of the district court OF
jefferson county, was the statement
made by Sheriff E. w. O'Brien over the
telephone this afternoon.
He made complete confession to
the county attorney and myself in the
presence of two Witnesses said
O'Brien 1.-The confession was not re-
duced to writing but enough persons
heard it to make it stick"
Rushed to Topeka
Following this confession McGhee.
2 man forty-five or fifty years of age,
was rushed to Topeka in an automo-
bile by Sheriff O'Brien to protect him
from mob violence They reached To
peka during the night and McGhee
was placed in the county Jail Where ne
will be left until it is safe to take him
back to Oskaloosa-
There isn't any question about the
facts in the case. continued Snerl1I
O'Brien. .'McGhee took the girl with
him ON a ride to the country He
stopped at farm house and knocked
at the door. No one answered and he
tried all the doors. The woman of the
open the door. McGhee thought there
was no one at home and he returned
to the automobile and attempted to
assault the girl. The woman upstairs
looked right down upon them and saw
everything that was done.
Shouted to Him.
''She shouted down to him and told
him to let the little girl alone. lie
left the girl and started towards the
house after the woman. She called
the sheriffs office and McGhee
started away with the girl in the ma
chine. The girl was left at a farm
house farther on and was picked up
by us and brought back to town. Nc
Ghee e1uded the pursuers and by the
time they reached OskaloOSa he was
already here
Mob Fear at OskalOosa.
Sheriff O'Brien stated that feeling
against McGhee was running high at
Oskaloosa last night and that it would
have been unsafe to have kept him in
the Jefferson county Jail He also
stated that he would not come to To-
peka to get his prisoner until some
time next week.
1T wouldn't be safe to bring him
back now,'' he said
Girl Is Uninjured.
That the little Larkins girl is un-
injured was statement made by Sher-
iff O'Brien over the telephone.
Il said in Topeka last night that
she was uninjured,'' he said, 'and that
statement stands. She was badly
frightened when we brought her to
town but an examination shows that
McGhee did not injure her in any
way
McGhee, at the county Jail, was not
in a talkative mood this morning, but
he denied having made a confession
Calls 1t a Mistake.
There isn't anything I want to say
he said, except that a mistake ha.
been made
Are you guilty of the crime % wa:
asked.
''Of course not he said, but don
want to talk now"
fWho is this woman that makes tht
charger" was asked.
Her name is Wagner" he replied
81 have known her since long before
she was married"
rs there any reason why she SHOULD
bring charge of this kind withou
foundation?'
Not that 1 know Of said McGhee
81 don't know what she can mean. She
says she saw things that never hap
pened- This is awful. I never wa.
arrested before in my life. 1 never
sued anyone and never was sued. Why
I have had that little girl with me OIL
rides lots of times. I know her fathe
well and we have always been friendly
All of the children in the family ar,
friends of mine. 1 have no family
except my mother, and ahve alway
devoted considerable time to this fam
lily of children
McGee has lived in jefferson count,
for many years and has borne a goo,
reputation.
81 don't see how people who hav
known me for years up there coul,
believe anything like this said Nc
Ghee.