The Bourbon news., 1921-10-21
ARRESTED ON
SERIOUS CHARGE
Harry L. Mitchell, Former Partisan
Charged With Statutory
0ffense
CONFINED IN REFORMATORY

an alleged criminal assault on an
eleven-year-Old Lexington girl, Mil
dred SOrrell, Harry l.. Mitchell, OF
that city, former resident of Paris,
is a prisoner in the Frankfort Re-
formatory, where he was taken
Tuesday night, for safe-keeping, on
an order from Circuit Judge StOll.
Mitchell stoutly maintains his inno-
cence, and denies even knowing the
girl.
The girl first told her parents
that she had been assaulted in Dun
can park by a colored man, and later
made a confession, in which she
stated that her first accusation was
untrue, and that she had been en-
ticed into an automobile driven by
Harry L. Mitchell, of GIL Elsmere
Park, and that he was the one who
had assaulted her, threatening her
with death if she told of the occur
renee. The alleged assault, she said
was committed in Mitchell's auto
mobile while driving on the Win
chester pike, near Lexington, Sum
day night.
Mitchell was arrested by LeXing-
ton police and detectives at his
home Tuesday night, following the
girls confession, and was taken in
an automobile Immediately after
ward to the Frankfort Reformatory
by order of Circuit Judge Stoll.
Warrants for his arrest had been
sworn out by the girls father,
Henry Sorrell, of Lexington. Two
indictments were returned against
him by a special grand jury Monday
afternoon, and were served before
the prisoner was taken to Frankfort.
At the RefOrmatOry, Mitchell stOutly
denied the assault and stated that he
did not even know the child, that
he had never taken any young girl
in his machine, and that the only
time he was ever in Duncan Park
was when he had taken his adopted
son, Jack Mitchell, for a ride.
Mitchell was visited in the Re
formatory by his son, VIM. Mitchell.
accompanied by his attorneys, Robt.
Franklin, of Lexington, and Robert
c. Talbot, of Paris, who made ar
rangements for defending their
client. William Mitchell stated that
he knew beyond the shadow Of a
doubt that his father was innocent
of the charge.
1t is believed Mitchell will be
arraigned some time next week and
the two indictments returned by the
grand jury Monday in the name of
John Doe read to him.
No further statement concerning
the facts of the case was made by
the authorities. Police, it is known,
are continuing their work on the
case and are obtaining witnesses.
Just what the proof to be offered
by the Commonwealth will be is for
the most part a secret, while MEM
bers of the law firm of Franklin,
Talbot & Chapman, attorneys for
Mitchell, also have declined to make
any statement bearing on the case.
Mitchell, however, will be kept in
the Reformatory until his trial as
he is not eligible for bail.
The news of Mr.. Mitchell's arrst
came as a shock to the people of
Paris, many of whom have been his
warm personal friends. Many claim
that the serious accident in which
he was a victim on the L. & N. rail-
road several years ago, had left him
in such a co~dition, physically and
mentally, as not to be responsible
for his acts At the trial of the
case in the Bourbon Circuit Court,
many reputable physicians gave tes-
timony to his impaired mental and
physical condition.
Mr.. Mitchell was formerly in the
employ of the L. & N. railroad as
freight conductor until he was in
capacitated by an accident. Follow
ing the accident he brought suit
against the L. & N and was award
ed a verdict for 100000, which was
upheld by a decision of the Court OF
Appeals Mr.. Mitchell opened a real
estate Office in Paris with his son,
| William Mitchell, as partner, and
did a successful business. Some age
he disposed of his Paris home and
moved with his family to Lexington
| retaining his Paris business in
charge of his son, making daily trips
| to and from Lexington.