Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-10
ROBBERY AND ASSAULT.
The Brutal Crime of wv, C,IOrsd
Servants.
A YOUNG GlHps ROUGH TREATMENT.
Bound and Gagged by a Neg'o Coae.-
man Whose Sweetheart was
Servant in the House
hold.

New YORK, March 9.-The polics to-day
arrested Jesse Williams, negro colchman,
and Gertrude Ash, a colored servant, his
alleged accomplice in one of the most bru-
tsl assaults and 2obberies perpetr:ted in
this city since the Hull murder in 1878.
The victim Of the assault is Maggie Har-
vey, age eighteen, sister OF Mrs. George
Sloane, whose husband is . prominent
merchant of this city. They occupied q
fiat in large house on West Thlrty-1econd
street and Broadway. Gertrude Ash was
servant in the family and regarded as an
industrious and honest girl. Saturday
evening Mr.. and Mrs. Sloane went out,
leaving Miss Harvey in charge Of her little
niece two years and six months
old. Miss Harvey retired about
10:3O. Sloanes little girl slept with her.
In the bedroom is a large closet. Mrs.
Harvey bad just retired when she heard q
strange noise. Looking around she saw the
closet door swing open and Willirms
spIaDg forward, and grasping her by the
throat threatened to kill her If she made an
outcry. The commotion awakened the
child and it began TO cry. Williams
threatened to take its life il Miss Harvey
did not make it keep still. He then de-
manded to know where the money was
kept and ordered her to give him the Keys
of various rooms with the most brutal
threats if she did not obey him. When
she said she did not know where the
things were kept he dragged her from
the bed, still retaining his grasp
upon her throat and threw, her
violently upon the floor, stuffed hand
kerChiIf in her mouth and tied towel Sc
curely around her head. He fastened her
hands behind her and tied her feet. he
then ransacked the apartments, packing up
whatever he found Of value, and escaped
by the way Of window which led
TO the ire escape. Mr.. and Mrs. Sloane re
turned at IL 80 and noticing the disordered
condition OF the dining room suspected
sou;t thing wrong. They went to Miss Har-
yey's room and found her as above stated
unconscious and almost dead of suhocation.
She was with difficulty restored to con-
sciousness and told her story. Her body
was covered with bruises and marks OF her
brutal treatment are plainly visible about
the neck. She was in very critical con-
dition to day. The police were promptly
summoned and Capt. Williams, with two
detectives arrived. They soon found the
fire escape led to the room occupied by
Gertrude Ash, the colored servant. The
window was partly open snd the detective
entered. He found Williams under the
bed. Going down stairs Williams made
frantic efforts to escape. Several blows
upon the head with billy suodued him,
and he was handcuffed and taken to the
police station. Gertrude Ash was also
locked up. She denied knowing Will
liams and said she was ignorant OF his
presence in the house. 1t is leaned, how
ever, from negro colony" that Williams
and the girl were considered engaged.
Williams is twenty one years Of age and
the girl nineteen. About six hundred
dollars worth Of jewelry and silver ware
was fourdin pillow case in the servants
room.