The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-12-01
MAN ARRESTED FOR
ASSAULT|NG WOMEN
ATTACKED LADIES ON STREETS
SATURDAY EVENING
Culprit Was Loaded With Booze and
Had Served Time in Prison for
a Similar Offense

William Bird, who for number of
months has been employed on the farm
of Chas. Montague, Sr., in Thetford,
was arrested by Clio officers Saturday
evening, after having assaulted and
badly frightened several women on the
streets of the village. 1t appears that
Bird came to town, Saturday afternoon
for the purpose of buying some supplies
for his family, but concluded to put his
horse in the feed stable and make a
pilgrimage to Birch Run before return
ing home. This was fatal mistake on
Birds part, because on his arrival at
Clio. at about eight o'clock, he was
more than comfortably loaded with
whiskey, which unleashed all his evil
proclivities and speedily got him into
serious trouble. When the man alight-
ed from the car he evidently hung
around the waiting room and when
Mrs. Isaac Corwin passed by on her way
home, he stepped out Of the shadows
into the brightly lighted street and put
his arm about her. Mrs. Corwin says
she did not see the man at first and
thought that it was her son, Fred, con-
fidently expecting that he would relieve
her of the basket of groceries which
she was carrying, not dreaming that
displayed by the stranger. However,
when the basket was not taken and the
arm remained in position, she turned
around and was surprised to see that
little man in red sweater, an utter
stranger, was the author of such un-
heard of familiarity. Mrs. Ccrwiu
asked the man what in the world he
meant and the look which accompanied
the Interrogation sent him scurrying
down side street, but he was not to
be so easily gotten rid of. it appears, as
Mrs. Corwin and neighbor lady who
accompanied her home soon discovered
him following them at little distance.
This procedure took the pestiferous
stranger into the neighborhood of the
residence of Rev. G.. w. Greene, and
when Mrs. Thos. Diff passed that way,
on returning home from town. he
emerged from the shadows of build
ing end grabbed her. Mrs. diff is in
very delicate health and the experience
nearly frightened her to death, but she
screamed with all her might, fought
the fellow with what strength she had
and finally managed to escape, although
he placed a mittened hand over her
mouth and dragged her quite distance
from the sidewalk before she was able
to do so. On arrival at her home, Mrs.
Oliff told of her experience and Mar
shal Best was promptly sent for The
aid of Deputy Sheriff E. l.. Powers
was also secured and together the
two officers made a hurried search
for the man about the conden-
sary and the buildings along the rail-
road. BY the time they reached The
crossing on Vienna street one of the
little Sedlow girls hurried up to them
with report that the man had just at
tempted to carry away her sister, Cert
rude, and gave the officers a clear des-
cription of his clothing, red sweater
and light trousers. which enabled them
to pick him up few minutes later near
the bank. The marshal says the man
was considerably intoxicated and when
questioned about his conduct frankly
admitted that he had been "huggin'
women, just for fun"
Bird was placed in Jail and on Sur
day was taken to Flint and committed
to the custody of the sheriff. On Mon
day morning Mr.. and Mrs. Oliff went to
the county seat where charge of fel-
onious assault was made against the
prisoner, whose bail was fixed at 81 800,
and whose examination was set for
DSN. ~. WI. oiiii 10 justly NCly
nant over the assault committed on his
aged and infirm wife and says that he
proposes to see that her assailant is
adequately punished if that be possible.
Before being taken to jail Bird con-
fessed to the officers that he had
served three years in the reformatory
at Ionia for an offense similar to the
one he committed here. Bird has a
wife and young daughter and the fam
! lily has been living in house on the
Montague farm.
On Wednesday morning Deputy Sher-
iff Powers went to Flint and in COM
pany with the prosecutor elect Roy
Brownell visited the jail and interview
ed the prisoner. At the conclusion eff
this interview Bird waived examination
and was bound over to the circuit court
for trial, as a consequence of which it
is not unlikely that he will enter plea
of guilty and receive sentence within
few days