The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-04-30
A BRAVE GIRLS BATTLE.
Desperate Encounter with n Negro
in Her BEDROOM.


Jennie Gon, 10 years DID, and her sister
Mary, 10 years old, are orphans, and live alone
In n cottage in Washington avenue, In the
village OF Rossville, on Staten Island, N. Y.
Tho sisters own tho cottage. Their mother
died 1vo months ago. They support them
selves by sowing. Both of them are highly
esteemed. On Sunday night Thomas Wilson,
n colored man, who also lives In Rossvllie,
forced open window and got Into their bed
chamber. Miss Jennie Con, the elder sister,
is a handsome brunette, 8 feet and inches
high, and muscular. She has every appear
ance Of having abundance of nerve and self.
reliance. Tho manner In which she put the
negro to flight was thus told by her Monday:
'My sister Mary and myself have always
slepti in the same bed up stairs. Last night
we retired after fastening the doors and win
dowg. We went TO bed q little later than
usual, as some OF the young people had been
in TO see us after church, How long we had
been asleep could not tell, when felt my
eelf smothered, and as sleep lightly since
mothers death, seemed to awake and get my
senses Instantly. felt some one stranging mo
end keeping terrible grip on my throat.
: Then light was put In front of my face.
could hardly move before that, but when the
negro (for cav by the light Of the lamp It was
colored mani turned TO put the lamp away,
no loosened his grasp on my throat u little. l
expected that 1t would be my last chance for
life, but made a desperate move sideways
and broke his grip. Then rose up, and with
strength In the face.
"Ho was kneeilng on top OF the quilts and
knocked him on on the floor. He again sprang
upon tho bed, when hit him second time,
and with the other hand scratched his face
80 that the skin was under my nails this morn
ing. was not bit frightened. but terribly
angered. did not expect that would escape
alive, but did what could TO defend myself
and my sister. AS the man sprang at me the
second time made certain that his face was
colored, and shouted TO my sister, 'Heavensl
It's niggerl
"Mary was too much frightened to move
until sho heard my voice. Then she screamed
dashed out the light and attacked me u third
time, and in the dark, which made me feel
little tlmid, for It flashed upon me that per-
haps he would strike me with a club or some
thing that would stun or kill me. That
thought seemed to dead my strength, and
reeled, when he caught me again. continued
10 struggle with him, however, and soon
found that my blows were defeating him, 80
kept on hitting and SCRATCHING as hard as
could.
sour screams were kept up all the while,
and that, with the resistance, must have con-
WINGED him that he had better leave. He rau
TO the window of our bedroom, raised II, and
began to climb out. 1 guess had become
used 10 hitting him, and certainly seemed to
have lost all fear, because as no sprang to tho
ground gave him another blow, which caused
him TO 60 sprawling headlong. His chin struck
an ash can, and the sharp edge, The policeman
told mo this morning, almost severed his
windpipe, and no very nearly bled TO death
before thoy caught him.
2,"As soon as the man had gone out OF tho
window, looked out and saw that he was on
the stoop. Fearing that he would come up
stairs again, jumped from an attic window
TO tho ground In my night clothes and ran to
Mr.. Platt's house, noxt door. The two Plat
boys hurried out, ana when the colored ma1
cav them he ran or. He had left his boots
on the front stoop, and had crept up TO my
room in his stocking feet. Tho police and the
neighbors found that Tom Wilson, who has
known us all our lives, and who works for Mr..
Decker, the storekeeper, had been out last
night, and they suspected him, though never
would have thought that he would harm US.
They went to Mr.. Decker's, and found that
Tom was not In his room.
"Blood marks led from the door to the stair
way leading TO the cellar, however, aud there
they found Wilson, who was bleeding terribly
|. from large cut on his throat, and was too
| weak from loss OF blood to speak at first. They
| he was broughtto the house, and identified
| him. His face was bloody and had ridges on
| II where scratched him. He was all bloody
from the cut, and almost tainted at the sight
| OF him and the thought OF his murderous de.
| signs upon myself and sister.
1--WE found that he had taken from the par
| lor and carried up stairs with him q heavy
| probably Intended to use to stiie our outcrles,
| as Chastlne Cox did Mrs. Hull's.
"We had, until a few weeks ago, a very saw.
| age and large dog about the house, and gener-
| ally took 1t In at night, but our dog bit man
| como time ago and Wilson was employed to
shoot and bury the dog"
| Wilson was arraigned before Justice Halle,
| at RossvilIe, Monday, ana taken to the Rich
| mond County jail, as II was believed that tho
| people might attempt to do violence TO him
II no were kept In tho neighborhood Of Zero
| VILE. .spyss