Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-07-31
THE ROCKVILLE OUT
RAGE.
Capture of the Brute.


A terrible outrage on the person
of Mrs. Tscheff,ly, was parpetra-
ted on Sunday, near Rockville,
Md, by negro brute named
Diggs. He was captured on the
evening of the Goth and placed in
all at Rockville.
His crime was sufficiently horri-
bic in all its details to arouse "a
popular fury.
Mr.. James Tsceeffely, his. en-
ployer, Is prosperous farmer, liv-
ing near Jamestown, for whom
Diggs had been working for six
or seven months. He left his home
on Saturday afternoon to 60 TO
Beltsville, in Prince Georges
county, ON business, without any
apprehension of danger. That
evening Mrs. Tscheffely sent Diggs
away on an errand, and a neigh
Dor sat with her until his return.
Soon after the departure of this
neighbor he made his assault upon
the unfortunate lady. He remain.
ed in her room all night, subject
ing her horrible maltreatment,
aad before leaving her on
Sunday morning choked and
beat her with the declared
intention of killing her. He was
a mere brute, and had not sufii-
cient method in his brutality to
make quick dispatch to his vic
TINS life AS he could easily have
done; aud after beating her suffi-
GENTLY to bruise and disfignrs her,
he left the house and made off.
Mrs. Tschetfley Is young lady of
about thirty. Intelligent and high
ly respected. Digs crime was
committed with such utter lack of
circumspection that he had not
even provided himself with a
plausible story to tell as he made
his way through the county.
When on Monday afternoon Zach
ariah Davis, a farmer living near
Mechanicsville, saw him on the
road several miles from that place,
and ask him who he was, he at
once admitted that he had been
working for Mrs Tscheffely, but
that she had paid him off on Sat-
urday, and he was looking for
work. Mr.. Davis had already no.
ted that his appearance cores
pended with the description CIV
en- of the outrager, and his admis-
sion completed the Identification.
Mr.. Davis got him into his wagon,
telling him hat he would give him
work, and the negro sat quietly
in the wagon while Mr.. Davis
drove it to Mechanicsville, and sat
outside and held the reins while
Mr.. Davis went inside store and
procured rope and the assistance
of several men. This was about
five o'clock Monday afternoon,b but
1t was not until after eleven O'Clock
that night that they got him to
the Jail at Rockville.
A crowd soon collected, but
nothing could be done until Mr..
James Tscheffely, for whom a
message was sent, should arrive.
Meanwhile, the Sheriff, John
Ketchner, made preparations to
resist any attempt that might be
made to break into the Jail, swear
ing in a number of deputies. He
had also at the jail two large dogs.
Diggs confessed his crime to the
sheriff and to others. but denied
using violence. His statements
were rambling and disconnected.
He was young man, not far into
his twenties, small and wiry in
build. He occupied a cell on the
second floor. Mr.. Tscheffely and
his father, with number of OAR
nestOwn farmers, arrived about
three O'Clock in the morning, and
soon after the crowd moved to-
wards the Jail. The arrangements
had been made with deliberation,
and the men composing the as
saulting party were designated
by numbers only. Some had tied
handkerchiefs over their faces, but
their leaders made no attempt at
disguise or concealment. He first
demanded entrance from the sher-
if on the ground that he had with
him q man who could identify
Diggs. The Sheriff said he would
let him in and no one else, but that
the rest OF the crowd would first
have to 60 away. There was some
further parley, and the rush was
made. The Sheriff made stout
resistance, and was assisted by
the jailor, but the deputies
fraternized with the crowd.
Diggs' cell was entered, and
he was at once identified by
Mr.. Tscheffely. de was immedi-
ately taken out, and although the
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