Terror Near the Tracks
A ten-year-old girl narrowly escapes an attempted assault near the Walla Walla railroad depot, sparking a search for the perpetrator.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Described as repulsive in feature and dress, a burly tramp attempted a criminal assault on the ten-year-old daughter of an O.R.&N. section boss near the passenger depot last night. The assault was frustrated by the terror-stricken child wrenching free from the cruel grasp and fleeing to the protection of her home. She was standing in the yard of her home listening to the circus band, when the man walked up and requested a drink of water. As he passed into the yard and by the little girl, he suddenly made a dash for her. Winding his huge arms about the slender form, he started on a run into the dark. The girl, driven to a frenzy with fear, fought blindly at the man's face and managed to wriggle loose. Officer Hodges, on duty at the circus, was notified, but a circus employee detained for questioning was released as the girl could not identify him.
“Driven to a frenzy with fear, she fought blindly at the repulsive features.”
This story reflects the period's language regarding 'tramps' and transient populations, often used to justify aggressive policing. The vulnerability of children near rail corridors remains a sensitive civic issue today.
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