Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 128, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1916 — FARMER ACCUSED OF GIRL'S MURDER [ARTICLE]

FARMER ACCUSED OF GIRL'S MURDER

Alleged to Have Hurled Bucket jf Corn at Auto Occupants—Lynching Is Feared. “ Hartford City, Ind., ‘ May 28. Charged with having caused the death of Geraldine Stout, 8 years old, daughted of Dr. E. P. Stout, of Upland, by striking her with a bucket of corn this afternoon, Albert Thomas, 40, a farmer, is in jail here tonight. The girl died as the result of a broken neck and crushed chest. She was riding in an automobile with her parents. Thomas was carrying a bucket of corn and had difficulty in getting out of the way of the machine. The occupants of the automobile allege after he recovered his equilibrium he deliberately hurled the bucket at them. Stout immediately jumped out and attacked Thomas. He was restrained from injuring the man by persons attracted to the scene. Thomas denies that he voluntarily threw' the bucket. He said in scrambling from the path of the automobile it slipped from his grasp. Feeling on the part of persons who heard of the tragedy was so bitter that Thomas was rushed to the jail. Many persons came to the city from Upland and vicinity, and threats from “the crowd which gathered about the jail caused extra precautions to be baken by the authorities and deputy sheriffs have been placed on guard. The tragedy occurred on a country road three miles west of here. The automobile is said to have approached Thomas at a rapid speed. Thomas has a wife and two children.

Muncie, Ind., My 28.—Thomas was brought to Muncie by Sheriff Mills, of Hartford City, shortly after 11 o’clock tonight for safe keeping. Sheriff Mills said he feared a mob that was forming at Hartford City would get Thomas and he asked permission of Sheriff O’H&rra to keep Thomas in the local jail. The officer w'ould not permit newspaper men to talk with Thomas tonight and at midnight the turnkey at the jail said Thomas wgs asleep.