Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-04-07
Outrage by a Negro Man in Franklin
County, Followed by an Attempted
Mob.

Outrage by a Negro Man In rrankln
County, Followed by an Attempted
Mob.
From the Chambersburg Valley Spirit. of
Wednesday last, we obtain the following
particulars of beastly crime and its dis
graceful consequences
On Thursday, about noon, a negro went
to the house of Mr. VIM. Oliver, in Guilford
Township, about 21a miles from this Boro.
Mr.. Oliver and his wife were both away
from home. A step-daughter of Mr.. Oliver,
named Ida Reinhart, who is about thirteen
yearsof age, had also been at aneighboring
house, but at noon went home to feed the
pigs. She was in the house getting the
necessary feed when the negro went there,
and had the door locked. He came to the
door but she refused to admit him. He
pretended to be hungry and demanded
bread threatening to burn down the house
if she would not let him il. Terrified at
these threats, she opened the door, when
the black scoundref seized her, threw her
upon the floor and outraged her person.
The little girl is pretty badly injured The
negro then took with him from the house a
razor and small sum of money which was
lying on mantel, Mr.. divers house lies
in a south-easterly direction from town.
The negro then left and, crossing roads
and fields, got round to the road leading
from this Borough to Scotland III north
easterly direction from town. About mile
from here, gentleman resides by the name
of John Landis. The negro accosted a lit
tie boy whom he saw there and asked him
if there were any men about. The boy
said no Just then n young lady named
Lydia Detwildor was seen passing through
a field some distance Of, and the negro
went over towards her, and caught up to
her about two hundred yards from her ia
theirs house which is in Green township.
He attacked her at once and accomplished
his purpose, the young lady resisting him
to the best of her ability.
From there he went in the direction of
Mr.. Jacob Fry's house, and when within a
couple of hundred yards OF it he met u
young lady named Miss Leah Lehman. He
attacked her also and a most terrible strng-
ole took place. He struck her on the back
of the head with club, and ON the face, so
that it is covered with black marks, and
choked her so rs to leave black and blue
marks upon her neck. In the struggle he
took razor from his pocket and drew it
close to her throat, threatening to kill her.
She grasped the razor and broke the handle
off, which she still has in her possession.
Notwithstanding this heroic resistance, the
black scoundrel succeeded in accomplishing
his purpose with this lady also. We under
stand she is still confined to her bed from
the injuries received. .....-.
Mr.. Oliver has since seen the handle and
blade of the razor used in this Last struggle,
and indentifies it as his own.
On Friday, negro answering the de-
scription given by the little girl and the la
dies, was seen in this town, and was arrest
ed by Mr.. Frederick Householder and Mr..
Nicholas Uglow, under the direction of
Sheriff Fletcher. His name is Cain Norris,
and his residence is ''Wolfstown:" BE
was taken to jail. - a.
On Friday night, between seven and eight
o'clock, the fire bell tapped and rush was
made for the Jail In about ten minutes no
less than eight hundred, perhaps a thous-
and people, were gathered about the build
ing. The crowd seemed wild with excite.
ment and anxious to obtain possession of
the prisoner. But Sheriff Fletcher refused
to give him up, and expressed his determi-
nation to protect him Several of our citi-
zens made speeches urging the crowd to
desist from the undertaking, but the Sher-
iff, still fearing an attack, called upon
Capt. George W. Skinner, of the "Housum
Zouaves," to come to his assistance. Capt
Skinner brought up some of his men with
their muskets in obedience to the Sheriff S
reauisition, and after the Chief Burgess had
interposed his authority also, the crowd
left and went to their homes. On Satur-
day and Sunday nights similar attempts
were apprehended, and the Sheriff, in CON
sequence, had the Jail guarded.