The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-06-10
ATTACK WAS VICIOUS
Sensational Story Told BY
Miss kittie Ward
MISSILES WERE HURLED
Related Tale of What Is Alleged
To Have Happened At
Pemberton

Sticks. eggs and an assortment OF
missiles were used in an assault on
two school teachers at Pemberton last
Thursday night, according TO the
statement OF Miss Kittie Ward, who Is
alleged TO have been one OF the VIC
tins. To The Free Press, Miss Ward
told of the cave man tactics used by
crowd of "roughnecks" in that village.
She described the attack on herself
and Miss Margaret V. Converse, an
other teacher of the Pemberton
schools. as brutal and unwarranted.
The two ladies mentioned were lur-
ed from their boarding place at 9:3o
o'clock at night, according to the story
told by Miss Ward, by fake tele-
phone call In going down the pltch
dark street TO the central office, In re-
Spouse 10 the call of a messenger. who
came to the boarding place OF the
teachers, the young ladies became
AWARE that four men were following
them in the dark. The two ladies be-
came alarmed. Miss Converse ran on
Goy n the strcet with Miss Ward close
" Iol owing, but she says that she Tell.
IL was then that a rain OF eggs, SUCKS.
ard clods of dirt were hurled at ner,
several of the latter striking MISS
Ward, and bTuising her painfully MISS
Wara exhibited her right arm today.
The member is black and blue from
the elbow 10 the wrist as the result
If blows from some OF the missiles.
She stated that she has several other
bruises about the body of just as Sc
we're a nature.
Statement of Miss Ward.
Miss Ward in her statement TO The
Free Press said that the conditions
which existed in school life IN Penn
berton this yea. have been anything
but a bed OF roses 1t would appear
that some bad feeling has been
sngendered over the holding OF
school picnic Thursday afternoon in
he woods near Pemberton. This dill
dcuIty arose over the question of just
what each child was supposed to bring
20 the picnic in the way OF eatables.
Miss Ward stated that a story has
zained circulation which has no foun-
iation.
The two teachers on the night OF
the attack finally took refuge In Inc
residence of Mrs. Neig;; 1t was tnen
found that Miss Ward was bleeding
profusely from a wound on one knee,
and was in a weak and exhausted con-
dition from the shock and pain OF the
bruises received from the pelting OF
clods of dirt She says that none OF
the eggs struck her, but they fell all
around her as she lay PROSTATE on
the ground after being struck by a
missile on the right thigh. In her fall
TO the ground she badly sprained her
left hand and wrist 1t was not un-
til the next morning that she was
taken to a physician at Mapleton,
where her wounds and injuries were
looked after.
County Attorney Informed.
Miss Ward has placed her story OF
the assault before County Attorney c.
Z. Phillips. Miss Converse, being
more feet of foot than Miss Ward
managed to escape the volley of mis-
siles and eggs. Miss Ward was un-
able to identify anyone OF her assail-
ants, but knows who the messenger
place and told her that there was a
telephone call for her at the central
office. Investigation later showed
that there had been no call made for
Miss Ward.
J. B. Thompson, superintendent OF
the Pemberton school, said today over
the phone that he knew nothing about
the attack on the teachers and knew
of no reason why there should have
been any attack.
Hesitate About Responding.
It was while he teachers wree pack
ing their trunks preparatory to leav
ing on the following day for their
homes that the messenger summoned
Miss Ward to the phone. At first Miss
Ward did not intend to respond, but
changed her mind. Both ladies des
cended the stairway and passed from
the house into the street.
They mad not walked far when they
discovered that somebody was follow
ng them. They started TO run and the
missiles began to fly.