Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-08-15
ANOTHER CHILD OUT-
RAG ED.
A CRIME WORSE THAN
MURDER.
INNOCENCE MUST BE PRO
TECTED.
OUTRAGED VIRTUE MUST
BE AVENGED.
SATANIC LUSTRAMp ANT.

Again are we called upon to
announce the commission of one Of
the most henious crimes known to
God or man that of the rape of a
child. Wicked passions, brutal
lust, seem to be raging rampant
through the country, and from the
eminent minister down to the
most ignorant boor, daily, exam
pies of mans and Woman's frail-
ties are furnished, but it is only oc-
casionly that the journalist is re-
quired to record SO fiendish an out
rage, so hellish a crime as the rape
ofan innocent child
Within the past few years, thi
is our third occasion for so sad a
duty inNthiS county. In the first,
the offender was never punished,
though it seems The blood from
the bleeding body of the innocent
child, penetrated through a heavy
mattress. Talifero lies waiting
the end of the intricacies of the law
for the second, for she sleeps in
the valley near the spot where she
yielded her life to preserve her
virtue-that which is SO recklessly
bartered by many modern Ewes,
In this case, pale, bright-eyed,
fairy haired little girl, just turning
her seven years of age, is called
upon to testify against colored
man, who, at least, has passed his
! three score years.
The following are the facts as we
gathered them at the examination
before Justice Gardner Monday af-
ternOon:
Henry Johnson, colored. Was ar.
rested by Deputy Sheriff Lanfor
at 4 r. NJ. he was brought before
| Justice Gardeners court. In the
absence Of Mr.. Price, Mr.. G. j
Faulkner, Jr., represented the
State, and after an attempt 10 get
counsel, Mr.. III. b. Miller was fin
ally persuaded to see that the pris-
oner had, at ieast,a legal examina-
ton. Johnson seemed Indifferent
and careless, but nervous, and ha
is without that deadly stiffness
that seemed to hoover around Tai
ifero. The little girl, Mary E. Bar
ret, was the first witness. Being
so young and small, she was ex-
amined as to her competency, but
answered sweetly that she knew it
was wrong to tell Story, and that
she knew-she would be punished
by God Tor so doing She was very
modest and timid about her an
swers, and evidently felt the terri
BILE condition in which she was
placed. However. after turning
her back to the colored man, she
said she knew Henry Johnson, the
prisoner. He threw her down on
Tuesday last and hurt her. Here
she pulled the Squire's head close
| down to her and whispered in his
j ears words that we shall not re-
peat here.l
Mrs. Barrett testified that her and
/ her husband came to Martinsburg
on Tuesday last; that Johnson
lived near by with an aged color
ed woman; and that she left the
child there until she returned; that
on returning in the afternoon, the
child came home followed by
Johnson that she was looking
weak and sick, but said nothing !;
| that she was complaining all the
\ week of being sore, and that on
Saturday morning she told her she
must tell what was the matter with
her; that the child said she was
afraid she would whip her, but if
she wouldn't she would tell. The
child told her she had been out
ragged, &c. and she looked and saw
it was too true.
DIR. d. w. Ross testified that he
had examined the child's person
and that he found conclusive evil
dence that she had been ravished.
We do not care to repeat all his
testimony, but this is sufficient.
The justice committed the accused
to Jail to wait the action of the
courts.