The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-05-05
ATTACK AT NIGHT:
ESCAPE OF BRUTE
GRACE ANDERSON VICTIM
OF VICIOUS ASSAULT
TELL INCOHERENT TALE
Struck Down On Teachers Col
lege Lawn; No Clew
Obtained.
TELL INCOHERENT TALE

Mystery surrounds an attack
made on Grace Anderson, fourteen
year old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs;
L. b. Anderson Of 303 Glenwooo
avenue, Saturday evening about nine
o'clock in which the girl sustained
two severe scalp wounds thought To
have been inflicted with a knife or
other sharp instrument. The at
taCk took place in the rear OF the
Mankato State Teachers college
LuIldings and according TO the ntue
girl, it was by a stranger OF middle
age, who escaped without anyone's
being able TO get any kind or de-
sCripCon.
According to the story of the girl,
who is a student in the local high
school, she was returning from the
1:30 picture show at the Lyric the
atTe and was going up the hill on
Jackson street alone shortly before
nine o'clock. On Jackson street jus.
below the hill she said she noticed
a man across the street but paid no
attention TO him. AS she went TO
the top of the hill, she said, she
crossed Fifth street and there the
man approached her to ask II she
knew the address OF someone whose
name the girl does not recall. When
she told the fellow that she did not
know anyone of that name, she was
seized by the throat and dragged up
over the lawn of the college and to
the rear OF the buildings. She stat
ed that she screamed all the while
and that her assailant several times
told her to shut up or I'll SUCK a
knife through you"
Her Memory Is Hazy
The girls memory is haZy as to
the sequence OF, events from this
time except that she remembers be-
ing struck twice on the head with an
instrument of some kind and that
she managed to get away. When
she was free she ran around the
building of the elementary school
whose aid she sought and asked that
the boys take her 10 her home.
The boys TO whom she appealed
were Eddie George and Virgil
Whyte. According TO the story OF
the boys. they had gone TO the
Teachers college to hear the music
of a dancing party which was taking
place at the gymnasium and had
been there for one number when
they decided that 1t was TOO cold to
sit outside any longer and they
started back to the Y. NJ. G. A. AS
they were coming around the side
of the building the girl suddenly
sprang in front Of them and was
covered with blood. She told them
that she had been struck by an au-
tomobile and stnck TO that story for
at least ten minutes, She was OBJ
viously hysterical and insisted upon
going into the building housing the
dancing party but was dissuaded by
the young men TO whom she had ap-
pealed for aid. The boys called to
some young ladies who were passing
the girl home.
Before the young ladies arrived,
an auto passing in the street flashed
lights on pedestrian walking
across Fifth street almost block
distant and the girl again attempted
10 get away. Fearing that she
might harm herself two of the boys,
Whyte and George, attempted to
stop her but were unable to hold the
frightened girl who scratched
George on the hands before she
could be restrained.
1t was not until they had taken
the girl home that she told the boys
and girls who were assisting her
that she had been struck by man
and it was then that the police and
a doctor were called. Night Ser
geant Len Burril and Officer Nick
Thilgen answered the call but were
unable to find any suspicious char
acters in the vicinity of the girls
home or at the Teachers college.
Many on Playground
According to several persons who
were around the college Saturday
evening there were at all times peo-
pie walking TO and fro over the play
ground and about the building as
there was a dancing party in pro
gress there and many others were in
the vicinity for the purpose OF hear
Ing the music. There was at least
one boy there who has a recollect-
ion of seeing girl dressed as was
the Anderson girl, going toward the
rear of the building some time before
the Anderson girl suddenly appeared
before the three boys and asked
to be taken home The story told
by the girl is incoherent and the
only point of which she Is certain is
that the assailant was middle aged.
Yesterday she could not tell wheth-
er or not he wore beard or was
smooth shaven Among other
things the girl said that her as
sailant when he departed in the di-
rection Of Hanover street, remark
ed: "1'n go my way, and you go
your way"
Tend the girl and stated that except
DR.. Ida Osborn was called to at
for two scalp wounds, one on the
hack of the head and the other on
top, there had been no injury done
the girl. It is not expected that the
scalp wounds will prove dangerous
The Anderson family are new
corners here. The girl is not &C