The Mena weekly star., 1918-12-05
BRUTAL ASSAULT MADE
ON AN AGED FARMER
Visitor to Mena Is Attacked Without
Warning and Severely Punished
Tuesday Night

w nat is described as u brutal ana
unprovoked assault upon an inoffen-
sive visitor to Mena was committed
Tuesday night at the Lichlyter cafe
at Mena street and Pickering avenue.
The victim was G. L. Cato, an aged
man residing near Egger. The at
tack was made, it is claimed, by Jim
Hume, former resident of Mena, but
now said to be resident of Poteau.
Mr.. Cato was struck without warn
ing according to eye witnesses and
suffered severe injuries Five teeth
were knocked out and his left eye
painfully injured in addition to
cash cut on the cheek.
According to the statement made by
Mr.. Cato and corroborated by three of
his neighbors, T. C. Brewer. A. X.
White and j. w. Carmen, the four
were in the cafe getting something to
eat when three men, entered. One of
the men approached Mr.. Cato and in
clustering staggering way demand
ed to know what he was doing in
Mena. The Egger man replied that
he had brought cotton in to SELL and
being hungry wanted something to
eat before retiring for the night.
Without further parley another Of
the trio stepped up to Mr.. Cato and
struck him. Just how many times
he was struck, and whether any weap-
on was used, seems to be in doubt.
In the confusion which followed the
four Egger men managed to get out
side, where one Of the. three disturb
ers is said to have drawn q revolver,
and ordered the Egger men to beat
it." Two shots were fired from the
revolver, it is charged, but no one was
hit by the bullets.
Two men, brothers, Otis and Wiley
Mcbride from Waters, Montgomery
county, were also witnesses to the as
sault on Mr.. Cato, and were in the
party that was forced to march down
the street at the point of the revolver.
Chief of Police Duncan, who had
been notified Of the affray following
the adjournment Of the city council,
took Jim Hume in custody, the Poteau
man having been pointed out as the
one who struck Mr.. Cato. Hume was
in Mena to look after a carload of
mules, and he put up $40 as cash.
bond for his appearance in Police
court Wednesday morning.
Hume failed to appear at the time
set and Justice L. N. Burnett, upon
complaint filed by Mr.. Cato, issued
a warrant against Hume charging
him with assault with intent to kill.
II is said that Hume left Mena on an
early morning train.
1t is said that Hume and the two
men with him showed evidence of
having INDUCED freely in strong
drink. One of the three is said to be
prominent resident of Mena and it
is charged that this is the second time
within few weeks that he has in
dulged in a "gun' display downtown
at night.
Mr.. Cato had to be taken to dem
fist to have his damaged teeth
drawn out. The affair is all the more
brutal because the victim is nearly so
years of age and besides is in poor
condition physically. Hume. the one
charged with the assault is said to
be young man of robust build.
Information filed with Deputy
Prosecuting Attorney Wright Prick
EFT resulted in filing of a. complaint
In Justice Burnett's court against
Eugene Cox, charging him with dis
turbing the peace and carrying piss
toll. According to the evidence SUBJ
mitted to the attorney, Mr.. Cox had
no hand in the assault and denounced
the attack upon Mr.. Cato. In justi-
flying his action Of displaying pis-
tol, 1t is claimed that Mr.. Cox believ-
ed he was about to be attacked by GER
tain bystanders vino had previously
made threats against him for some Of
his official actions while member !,
of the county exemption board.