TEACHER ATTACKED IN LONELY SCHOOL Young Miner Arrested by Officers on Charge and Bound Over to Grand Jury. ACCUSED CORROBORATED HER STORY WHEN FIRST ARRESTED When Arraigned in Court Pleads "Not Guilty" and Retains Attorneys to Fight Young Woman's Accusations. Otter Griffith, charged with assault and battery on Miss Bernard Laughlin a teacher in the school near Seelyville, with intent to commit crime, was arraigned before Judge Ball, in the city court Wednesday morning and entered a plea of not guilty. After a consultation with his father and Attorney Adrian Beecher for the defense, the accused agreed to be ready for the preliminary Friday afternoon. He was sent to jail in default of bond in the sum of $1,000. The school house at which the alleged assault took place is situated a short distance from Seelyville and Miss Bernice Laughlin is the teacher. Griffith had been out to one of the nearby mines, and was passing the school house on his way home about four o'clock. He said he stopped in the school house to warm, just after the children had been dismissed. He was there but a short time, when the children had all left the building, and then it was that he made the approaches to the teacher. Miss Laughlin made a desperate fight, and a scuffle followed, during which the woman was thrown to the floor. Her screams frightened the assailant and he abandoned the attempt and ran, when he saw some men passing near the school house. The young man carried an ax when he entered the building. As soon as Miss Laughlin could recover from the fright of the terrible experience, she gave the alarm and the young man was arrested by Marshal Shepherd Flint after he had boarded an interurban car. The woman walked as far as the Country club, when she became exhausted and was cared for by the wife of the man who is in charge of the club. city and went to her room at Fifteenth and Eagle streets. She was able to resume her school duties today. When brought to this city and to the police station the young man confessed and told a story substantially as given above. But after a talk with his father and attorney he changed his mind and will fight the charge. He is the son of James Jones, a farmer living south of Seelyville. The father is a man who has never been in any trouble and is well respected.
Lost Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana
