Hinkel v. Commonwealth

J. R. Hinkel was indicted for an attempt to rape, convicted of a simple assault, and sentenced to jail for one year and to pay a fine of $500.00.

Mary Thompson, the prosecutrix, a girl of ten years, lived with her widowed mother over a store in the town of Marion, Virginia. During August, 1921, the accused met the girl at the store, and, with the promise of a gift, invited her to accompany him to The H. B. Staley Company’s mill, about 300 yards away. After first securing her mother’s permission, the girl went with Hinkel who took her to the third floor of the mill, where they were alone and…