Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-13
SAVED BY A GIRL.
A LITTLE MAID STAYS A nuRpERous
HAND.
A Savage Attack Upon Rev VIC. Hall and
wife-Both Lives Endangered-The
Particulars, &c.

A Savage Attack Upon Rev VIC. Hall and
wife-Both Lives Endangered-rhe
Particulars, &c.
The serenity Of one OF the quietest
| of country neighborhoods was rudely
broken Tuesday night, when . mur-
derous attack was made upon yen-
cradle minister of the Gospel and bis
wife living in the lower-part Of Hen
rico. The victims. of this dastsrdly
attack were Rev. W. G. Hall and wife.
PERSONAL.
In November last Mr.. Hall having
accepted the pastorate of Four-Mile
Greek Baptist church, left the county oi
Buckingham and made his temporary
home in cottage on the farm OF Mr..
W. B. Grover, on the Kingsland road,
ten miles southeast of Richmond, his
congregation intending to procure him
a more comfortable residence as soon as
arrangements could be made therefor.
Mr.. Grover lives on one side Of the
road Mr.. Hall on the other. The
houses are distant about half mile.
Between them Is q roadway, bordered
by open fields.
THE MINISTER'S HOME.
The house in which Mr.. Hall lives
consists of two rooms on the first floor
and one on the second. There is a
front porch, and from it q door opens
into the chamber of Mr.. and Mrs. Hall.
The nearest neighbors are Mr.. Grover
and Mr.. Thomas Yarbrough.
Mr.. Hall is q man Of seventy-four !;
bis wife, who was Miss Tompkins, of
Albemarle, appears to be about thirty
five, though is probably considerably
older. She is lady of superior edu.
cation, and is very attractive in ap-
pearance.
Since they made their homes in the
neighborhood they have been visited by
nearly all of their neighbors, and have
been on the very best Of terms with
everybody, whites and blacks. In fact
Mr.. Hall mad received a most cordial
welcome to the neighborhood. He is
man OF benevolent appearance, Of
mild and kindly disposition, and de-
voted servant ofGod. He and his wife
are loved by all who know them; or
at least so it was thought until Tues
day night, when events proved that one
man at least was willing to murder
them.
THE GRANDCHILDREN.
Mr.. w. n. Hall, Of Hall, Powers &
Co., merchants ofthis city, who resides
at the corner Of Main and Meadow
streets in the west end of the city. is
son Of Rev. Mr.. Hall by bis first
marriage. Rev. Mr. Hall came to the
city Tuesday on a visit to this son, and,
returning home that afternoon, took
with him in his buggy his two grand
cbildren-Maggie Hall, aged twelve,
and Lacy Hall, aged eight.
The grandfather and the two children
reached their country home about P.
NJ. Mr.. Hall showed them about the
place, and, among other things, pointed
out the house Of Mr.. Grover as that Of
his nearest neighbor. The children
spent the evening in great glee, romping
over the place, charmed with all they
saw, and full of delight with country
life. Supper over, they went to bed up
stairs. The lamps were all put out and
the household IN bed before 8 o'cloca.
A FRIEND KNOCKS.
Soon after So'clock a mans footstep
was heard outside. He came on the
porch, then stopped at the door and
raped. Mr.. Halls head was in few
feet of the door, and he heard the knock
distinctly. lie asked:
"Who's that?"
"A friend," a voice answered indis.
dictly.
"I'll have to get up," said Mr. Hall.
"No, DON'T" said his wife, "until you
find out who it is." "That won't do"
he said "if he is in distress or wants
advice / must sec him."
Mr.. Hall, so saying, slipped out Of
bed and opened the door.
A HURRIED GLANCE; THEN A BLOW
FELL.
In the hurried glance that Mr.. Hall
got of the man it seemed that he was
either white or mulatto probably the
latter. lie appeared to be Of medium
height, Of rather spare build, not at
all shabby in dress, and he had stick
in his hand. lie was youngish man.
He wore a full beard, trimmed rather
short. If he wore any head-covering
at all it was a cap.
But Mr.. Hall had only an instant to
look at the stranger; for no sooner was
the door opened than be was felled by
a blow across the forehead. He strpg-
gled, but only to bring down upon
himself additional blows, delivered
with murderous fierceness and repeated
with fiendish malignity.
THE WIFE BEGS FOR HER HUs-
BANDS LIFE.
Mr.. Hall fell in heap on the floor
and Mrs. Hall stopped to pick him up,
mean while begging the assailant not to
hit him any more; thereupon he turned
upon her and gave her several blows.
Her screams, with the noise Of the scuf.
fle, aroused the children upstairs, and
Maggie soon made up her mind that
some one was numbering her grandpa
rents.
For her to escape from this upper
room there were but two ways-to
como down the steps, which would
bring her into the room where the
would-be murderer was, or to jump
out of the window.
A GIRLS HEROIsM.
In a moment Maggie had made up her
mind what to do. She resolved to jump
out Of the window on the side of the
house and to fly to the neighbors for
halo Che vaiead the each and told her