The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-07
RUSH ATTACK
SUSPECT HERE
TO ELUDE MOB
Frankfort Man Accused of
AsSauIting Child, g;
Town in Uproar.
IRATE THR0NG GATHERS
Sheriff, Speeding Prisoner
to City, Is Pursued
by Autos.

The Marion County Jail bristled
with guns early today after in
furiated frankfort citizens invaded
Indianapolis in pursuit of 50-year-
old ex-convict who was threatened
with mob violence after admitting
he attacked and critically injured a
9-year-old girl at Frankfort.
Frank Mace, saved from the irate
mob of 200 which stormed the
Frankfort Jail was spirited to the
Jail here by Sheriff Fred Rodgers,
of Clinton County.
The steel doors of the Marion
County Jail had just closed upon
the accused man at 100 today when
nine mob-laden cars arrived in the
street in front of the Jail and con-
tinued to circle the block in which
the Jail is located.
DR.. G. B. Compton, Frankfort, re-
ported improvement in the condi-
ton of the attack victim today.
Blames Liquor for Crime
This morning Mace. gray-haired
and talking through a two-day
whisker stubble, blamed liquor for
the attack
Il must have been crazy drunk,
he said Ito have done that. I
don't know why 1 did it."
He referred grimly to his jail adj
venture of last night.
Il certainly was scared when !
heard that mob outside" he said.
The child was seized while walk
ing home from motion picture
theater last night, carried to a
nearby cornfield and assaulted. Per-
so1s living in the neighborhood were
attracted by her screams and found
her in critical condition.
Arrested at Home
Mace, married, recently employed
by the Frankfort city street depart
ment, was arrested at his home less
than an hour later on the strength
of a record of two previous attack
charges and the description given by
the child.
He was sentenced to 2 to ID
years in Lafayette in 1929 in con-
nection with assault on a small girl
and was arrested II connection with
attack on an 11-year-old Frankfort
girl three years ago. He was fined
$40 and costs on an assault and
battery charge in the latter case.
Frankfort police said he admitted
attacking the 9-year-old girl and
took him to the Clinton County Jail.
rs word of the attack spread
through Frankfort an angry mob
gathered at Frankfort police station.
Sprint Across Jail Yard
City authorities telephoned Sher-
if Rodgers that the situation was
becoming critical. The sheriff just
completed arrangements for remoy-
ing Mace when the mob arrived at
the 60-year-o.d brick Jail building.
Handcufted together, the sheriff
and the prisoner sprinted across the
Jail yard a short distance ahead of
the mob and sped out the alley.
Confusion in the mob enabled them
to escape.
Breathless and in great haste,
Sheriff Rodgers banged on the
Marion County jail door this morn
ing at 1870 and asked Lawrence
Turner, night turnkey, if he could
leave a prisoner for safekeeping.
Told he could. he disappeared and
brought Mace to the door. Sheriff
Rodgers was so hurried in his de-
parture that he forgot to tell Turn
key Turner the name of the prisoner
or the charges against him.
Almost as soon as Sheriff Rodg
ers left, however, night deputies no.
ticed that the pursuing cars were
being driven around and around the
block in which the Jail is located
and deputies took down their riot
guns from their pegs and assumed
defense positions.
The cars continued their sentry
around the block for more than half
an hour and then disappeared. No
, one so much as entered the jail
yard.