Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1904 — WITH CRIMINAL ASSAULT. [ARTICLE]

WITH CRIMINAL ASSAULT.

Bert Knight and Prank Wallace of Kersey, Charged With Serious Crime. The 13-year-old daughter of John Levi of near Kersey was criminally assaulted last Friday morning by Bert Knight and Frank Wallace of Kersey, according to affidavits sworn out here the same afternoon. According to the girl’s story 6he .was on the way to the grocery store in Kersey when in passing the shop or grain office on the Gifford road at Kersey, Knight forced her into the shop, locked the door and committed the crime. He then went out and Wallace came in and also assaulted her. She admitted that she made no outcry and seems to have not suffered any distress of mind or body until several hours after she had returned home, when she told about the affair and the warrants were sworn out.

Wallace, who is a blacksmith, was arrested and had his preliminary hearing before Squire Troxell Saturday evening. He denied the girl’s story completely. He is about 23 years of age and seems to have a good reputation about Kersey. He was bound over to court and bond fixed at SBOO. In default of bond he was remanded to jail, where he still is at this writing. Knight made his escape and has not been apprehended as yet. The most serious part of the affair seems to be the girl’s age, if the charges are true. Her father says she was 13 years old last May, and the age of consent in Indiana is 14 years. The assault, if an assault was committed, appears to have been with the consent, or without any vigorous resistance, at least, on, the part of the girl.