Bridgewater Assault Case

BRIDGEWATER ASSAULT CASE

The Bergs' Assailants to Stand Trial in the Circuit Court.

The examination of Robert McCart, Clarence Brooks and Fred LeFountain, all of the township of Bridgewater, charged with brutally and criminally assaulting Mrs. Conrad Berg, aged 74 years, and her weak minded maiden daughter, aged 45 years, who also live in Bridgewater, on Wednesday night, March 24, was held before Justice M. Webb, of Saline, on Friday last. Prosecuting Attorney Kirk appeared on behalf of the people and Frank B. Jones appeared for the defendants. They waived the reading of the complaint and examination and were bound over to the circuit court, bail being fixed at $10,000 each. They could not furnish the bail and were brought back to Ann Arbor and placed in jail.

The offense with which McCart, Brooks and LeFountain (who are aged respectively 22, 27 and 31 years, LeFountain being married) are charged, is a most revolting one. The men together with Fred Lehn had all been over to one Finkbeiner's on the night in question drinking hard cider and had got pretty thoroughly intoxicated, and about midnight proceeded to Mrs. Berg's house, broke in the door and having gained admission compelled the women to submit to their brutality. It is not claimed by the woman that LeFountain assaulted them any further than holding his hand over their mouths to prevent them from making a noise, but they do claim that McCart assaulted both of them. LeFountain and McCart both deny having been at Mrs. Berg's house at all, but Brooks tells a different story and says they were together all night and that they all went to the house. The evidence against them is of the strongest possible nature as Mrs. Berg positively identifies McCart as one of the assailants. Their chances for long terms of imprisonment are exceedingly good.