Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-05-01
A TERRIBLE STRUGGLE.
How q Staten Island GffI Defended II or
vfrtiie.

NEW YORK, April 29.-Jennie and Mary
Gof, aged respectively nineteen and six
teen years, live in the village of Rossville,
S. l. OnSunday night, soon after they re-
tired, they were aroused by some person
in the room. The intruder, who was a
powerful negro, made a desperate assault
upon the girls, but thanks to the pres
ence of mind of Jennie, coupled with her
remarkable pluck and great physical en-
durance, the ruffian was so badly worsted
that his arrest WAS effected with compare
tive ease. Ifnot lynched by the excited peo-
pie OF the village he viii serve time in the
State prison. Tne Misses Gof live alone
in neat cottage on Washington avenue.
Until few days ago, the premises were
protected by dog, but the animal became
savage, and Thomas, negro who works
in the neighborhood, was employed to
kill it. Wilson was then made acquainted
with the fact that the young ladies were
unprotected and he planned a dastardly
assault on them, which he attempted to
put into execution on Sunday night.
Both girls are pretty brunettes, the oldest
being unusually we'll developed for her
age and possessing great physical strength.
At late hour Sunday night, Wilson re-
| moved his boots at the front door, forced
open lower window, and crept up 10 the
| bed room in which the sisters were sleep
ing. So cat-like was the wretch in his
| movements that his presence in the room
was not known until he rudely grasped
Jennie by the throat and when she awoke
| the negro was kneeling over her clutching
| her throat tightly with one hand, while
| in the other he held light The younger
| sister also awoke but was paralyEed by
| fear. Jennie, however, appears never to
have lost her presence of mind for a mo-
| ment, and instantly determined to resist
| her assailant with all the power she pos
sessed. In moving the light the mans
HAND ON HER THROAT
was partly released and Miss Goff availed
herself of the opportunity to break the
| grip of the ruffian. She then rose up, and
with her clenched fist struck the negro a
powerful blow in the face. She was in a
kneeling position on top Of the bed, and
such was the force of the blow that he
was knocked to the floor. He then sprang
at the girl, but received a second blow in
+le face, rshisS " It'll tf4e ottscr i-sI1Ss con
scratched his face, tearing away strips OF
skin and flesh. In relating her thrilling ex,
perience the girl said: 81 was not one
bit frightened, but terribly angered. /
did not expect at all that l would escape
the tiend alive, but fought hardest when
L thought of my sister. AS the man
sprang at me the second time / recognized
him as colored man. / shouted to my
sister: Heavens, it's niger Mary was
too frightened to move until she heard my
voice; then she screamed as loudly as she
could, and so did /.
OUR SCREAMS WERE KEPT Up
all the while, and that with the resistance,
must have convinced him that the risk
was too great of our alarming the neigh
bors. Finally he ran to the window
raised it, and began to climb out. As he
did so gave him another blow, which
caused him to go sprawling headlong tc
the ground.
In falling Wilson's chin struck against
the sharp edge of an ash-p almost sew
ering his windpipe and causing a profust
hemorrhage. Two of Mrs. Platt's sons a
once came to his relief, and upon seeing
them Wilson fled, leaving his boots on the
, stoop. He was traced by blood marks tC
the dwelling of Mrs. Decker, for whom ht
worked, and he was found in the cellar &c
prostrated by the loss of blood which fol
lowed from his throat, that he was unable
to speak. A doctor sewed up the wound
and Wilson, after being fully identified by
Miss Goff, was taken before Justice Hall
, who committed him to the county jail
! Wilson is twenty-five years old, and ha
lived all his life at Rossville.