Deceiving Young Girls

Serious Charges Against an Alleged Theatrical Agent

Washington May 6- Dr. Gideon G. Blackburn 45 years of age, who name hero from Shreveport Ia, in December last, recently advertised for “25 girls of good form between 15 and 20 years of age to join a theatrical troupe.” He was arrested yesterday on a charge of criminally assaulting two young girls. Soon after the advertisement appeared. Annie Saul and Annie Colback called by request of the doctor. By Miss Colback’s statement it appears that he took them in turn to a bed-room adjoining the parlor of his house and on the pretense of discovering if they were sufficiently shaped for stage requirements indelicately fondled them. Vigorous protests induced the doctor to release the girls and they immediately left the house.

The doctor denies indignantly that he assaulted either of the young ladies, but admitted that he inserted the advertisement and had received and examined the girls at his house. He did not claim to be a theatrical agent, but said he had consented to do this part of the work for a friend who was going to organize a theatrical company. He endeavored in vain to secure Representative Blanchard as his counsel, and was finally released on $250 collateral.

The prosecuting attorney that after a relegating of the testimony in the district Coroner’s Office, he had directed a warrant to be sworn out against the doctor charging him with assault, with intent to rape Miss Saul, which had been done, and lo therefore asked that bail bail be fixed at $100. The court fixed the bail at the amount asked by prosecuting attorney, and the defendant was placed in custody of the marshall.

source: The Oil City Derrick