The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-23
He Dragged Me Thru Fence,
Says Aged Woman.
Frank SummerlOt, Sc, Accused
by Mary Albright.
TELL DIFFERENT STORIES
Jury Must Decide Who Is Tell
ing the Truth.
Glasses in Pocket Strong Evil
dence Against Defendant.


If Mary Albright, seventy years of
age. is telling the truth, then Frank
Summerlot, fifty-six years of age,
holds the record for Justification. and
besides is a bad man to be at large
If Summerlot is telling the truth, by
the same token, the aged Mary Ark
right has established something of
record of her own and is equally as
dangerous as Summerlot.
1t is up to the jury in the first divi-
sion of the district court to look them
over, listen to their respective stories
and determine which is telling the
truth. Mary Albright charges Sum-
merlot with attempting criminal Of
Tense against her and supports her
cha rges with perfectly logical story
of consecutive events. Summerlot
denies the charge with a story, which
up to a certain point. is just as logical
rs that told by his accuser. At only
one point do their stories agree and
that point is of no importance.
Mrs. Albright went on the stand to-
day and told her story. She answered
every question asked her and more.
She insisted upon talking and fire.
qhently outtaIked the attorneys ex-
aiming her.
Il was on my way to the Provident
~ association to make application for a
position" she said, when I met this
man on Kansas avenue near the OK
Twas going and I told him. He said
he knew where 1 could get work; that
his wife was blind and that he would
be willing to pay me "a a week with
board to look after her and his two
boys.
Sat Down in the Park
1--WE started north on Kansas ave-
nae. I was going to his home. We
Went into the City park and sat down
for few minutes to rest, then started
i
the fence towards the old Turner hall
thought that was a peculiar place
for man to live and said so. Then
he caught me around the shoulders
apd dragged me thru the fence. He
dragged me for ten or twelve feet and
made improper proposals to me- He
offered me S25 to go to a shed there
with him. L said. You thirty dog let
loose of me or I'll scream as loud as
can He let loose of me but he
police station and reported what had
happened, thin went back with the
police to the shed where that man at
tackled me. I was there when they
round him alseep and dragged him
out l saw them take my glasses from
his pocket"
None of the questions asked by E. L.
pNeil, attorney for Summerlot. dis
turbed Mrs. Albright. He attempted
70 show that her husband had not
lived with her for a quarter of a CEN
tqry because she was not sound men,
tally. She Indignantly denied that
she stated that she had four children
and husband living but that she had
applied for divorce from her hus-
band within the last four months to
keep him from "fooling around her
As long as he is my husband" said
the woman, "he thinks he can come
where 1 am and take ANYTHING he
wants. l want to get free from him
tnen when he takes things of mine I
can have him arrested"
Police Testimony
Robert Miller. detective, and Bert
tsichardson, auto driver for the police
department followed on the stand
Ihey testtfie 20 finding Sumnerlot
IN the shed indicated by Mrs Arkright
pocket. - ---7 MP
The state then rested and Frank
Summerlot the defendant, took the
stand He told straight story.
was working down on East
f'ourth street pulling cement I'D in
a bucket with a pulley" he said. land
worked until two O'Clock when T re-
aired was too drunk to do that kind
OF work. | told the boss 1 would have
70 quit and sober up. Then l walked
west to Quincy street and north tn
crane. | went west on Crane to the
CITY park, went inside and sat down
on bench. Soon after that this lady
came and sat down on the other end
OF the bench. She asked me if / knew
where she could get work
i told her Ed Reser had asked
me, few days before, if know
Where he could get a woman to work
TOT him. She was interested and
asked all about it 1 told her
thought he would pay three or four
dollars a week and board. She want
eq me to show her where he lived
then told her I was too drunk to 20
with her then; that I would have to
go over into the Turner Hall grounds
ana sleep off the effects of the LIQUOR
she walked along with me. She said
sne would see where 1 went then
ABOUT the time she thought | would
De SOBER she would come back and
could show her where Reser lived
she steadied me with her right hand
as l walked. She did not 60 thru the
holes in the fence and 1 did not touch
her"
s'How did you get her glasses in
your pocket2" asked w E Atchfson
I don't know l didn't know they
were there until the officers said theI
found them there"
fSummerlot has heen arrested bv the
police on numerous occasions fol
drinking but has never before been ar.
rested on any charge brought by
woman. Policemen say they hay,
never seen him with or around WON.
en- He stated that he had not LIVED
with mis- wife for twenty-five years
The cross examination of Summer
lot is proceeding this afternoon.
n