Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-08-13
Mysterious TaraudingS.

l)T SOmC lGteltStluS SOssiPi eo'' 'oS
truth of which is confirmed, cJmes from North
Carolina. At Chapel Hill, the location ct The
University of North Carolina, there is also
Normal School,, where young ladies des!rlog to
become teachers complete their education aud
graduate. During the session ell The hotels
and private boarding houses IN the village arc
usually crowded With the female candidates tor
literary houors. The plac, is admirably suited
for the purpose. 1t isquie', retired and peace
able and the young ladies were considered as
secure from iosult or injury as they would be
ia the full protection OF their OVID homes. lie
Gently, however, great excitement has been DC
casloncd by the burglarlouS entrance 10 The
night time Of sone daring rllIalo loto large
number Of the houses 10 which ladies' were nv.
ing. These hurglarlcs arc involved IN The most
impcnetrsble mystery, and have be III u every
attempt at discovery. They all seem to have
been committed by The ooc Individual, whose
object evidently Was not robbery, as money anu
vsluablcs which were exposed to his view al
ways remained untouched. What makes the
matter still stranger is that this midnight ma
rauder invariably made the sleeping apartment
of some beautiful lady his objective point
And Eerc again the matter becomes stu more
mysterious. / he designed to outrage them
he never suc,oeded, but hil conduct IN this
particular looks s!ngularIy suspicious, a. epino,
ed by the facts AS soon as the occupant Ct
an apartment to which he had paid domlell'
larry visit awoke lie fed through window or
door, never attempting the least violence, and
always escaping.
The first burglary was effected upon the ras
q ,hcpf r)I los n
lovely daughter about eighteen years Of age.
The young lady had retired, accompanied by
her colored maid Both were sleeping soundiy
wheu, about midnight, the young lady was
awakened by the heavy pressure Of a hand upon
her bosom. She called to her mnd asking was
it her. and rectiviDg response from The further
corner of the room that It was not, realized
that some one had entered her room and began
to scream. This frightened the villain, who
Immediately deoamped through the window by
which he came. The young lady was SO terri
fed that she could not describe the party, and
was unable 10 say whether be Vas white or
col0red.
Ga one occasion this midnight ioterIopar
came rear discovering that he had woke up
the wrong passenger. This time it was the
room Of robust, buSom young widow, who
turned the scales at l1j pounds aVolrdupols,
that be went into. Ills experience with her
was quite different from thst OF his other would.
be victims. She was awakened by the scnsa
ton Of feeling what size knew to be masculine
hands 90 her person. She was not scared to
DEATH" like others. but lay quite long enough
10 ueVe herself for supreme etiori. With
single spring he was 90 the tioor and bad
srasped the villain firmly. lie struggled hard
to get to the widow, but she proved to be the
most powerful Of the Two and succeeded 10
dragging him to cloS;t in which she had
hatcbet. Ia attempting 10 open the closet door
to get the weapon SIZE had to let 90 her hold
With one hand when the scoundrcl would sllug.
Gle violently, causing her to se;Z, hold again 10
keep hin, from escaping. Each lime she 81,
tempted 10 get the Ratchet she was defeated 10
the same way. Sue called to young female
companion who slept with Der Ter help. but the
erawled under the bed ADD would not respond.
But the widow fought hcroical!y, ard Dcyer let
90 uutil she was thoroughly exhausted. She
beat and pummelled his face and b!y'i his nose,
but be escaped. as usual. The pext morning
the condition of her room bore evidence OF the
contest. Her window curtains were despatched
and the iloor, sills and blinds stained with blood.
II was thought that this would lead to tho de-.
lection Of the villain but, though thorough
inspection OF every male person was made next
DAY to find some trace OF blood CT scratches,
nothing could be discovered.
The last house to which this dla5o,ic2l wretch
paia bis attention was Mr.. kirland's, where q
q very handsome aud estimable young LADY was
boarding, during her attendance upon The Nor
nal School. He entered By the widow, slip
ping his iogers through the Stats Of the beds,
christening the catch, and then raising the
window. The young lady trunk was open and
both her money aud jaRelry were plainly visible,
tul nothing Was touched. She was awakened
by the breath Of the man in her iac,. With
remarkable courage and presence Of mind she
seized him ard cried murder 81 the top OF Der
voice, but The ti-nd broke away from her and,
jun rug through the window, escaped agalo.
Fifteen difference occurrence OF this sort have
taken place AMI yet no clcw to the author OF
the outrages. The only case wnero sny violence
was attempted was at the house Of widow,
whose daughter, sixteen years OF age, resides
with her. This lady IT, l understand tho sister
Of Solicitor S. f. Phillips, Of the United States
Treasury Department. Hare, t~o doors, were
broken in and while tho lady WAS leaning out
her window screaming for help to neghbors
scross the street the burglar struck her several
times with an axe. making two very ugly wounds
one on tho forehead and ole on the shoulder,
and thus escaped. Professor Winston, OF the
University. with DR.. Mlllet, Il endesvcrlng to
find the guilty parties. They hsve been aided
by lawyers and citizens generally, snd stranger
from Baltimore, Who WAS believed to be de.
tective, under the name Of William +. Pierson,
8 prentended land buyer. The excitement has
been intense over these daring outrages, and it
is safs to say, if the perpetralor is ever arrested
the State will be saved the expense OF trial By
Judge and jury. Hn would be hanged mmo.
dlately from oae Of the stately oaks in tho col
lege campus.
Since writing the above SIN in receipt Of in
telligence that the local authorities al Chapel
Hill, N. g., have succeeded in srresting the
Iniscrcsnts who po-petrated tho outrages above
described. II appears that Is suspected negro, |
named Albert Atwater, was arrested, and, when
charged with being party to tho outrage, made
q confession duplicating A. F. Davis, white, |
Henry Andrew. white, snd Lewis Carter, color. |
I'd. These parties were all arrested, and arc
now in Jail awaiting and examination. From |
This it seems that more than one wore engaged |
in tho midnight depredations. Tho excitement |
still continues; and il is safe TO predict that any
Of them are convicted punishment by lynch |
law viii certainty foloH.-C0r. Of the y. Y. |