Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-19
THE GALES WOODS OUTRAGE
Arrest OF the Alleged Preparation.
HI CONTESTS THAT HI ASSAULTED THE

Girl.
Since Monday afternoon, when the attempted
outrage was committed on Elizabeth Rithmul-
Ter on the Metropolitan Branch of the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad. rs published in yester-
days STAR, the police were furnished with a
description OF the colored boy who is alleged to
nave committed the crime. A colored boy liv.
Ing near Gienwood road was suspected, and the
fact OF his not having been home for two nights
gave the officers additional grounds for suspi-
cion.
This morning Sergeant slattery, of the second
precinct, thinking he knew the right boy, start
ed out towards Gales woods, where the youth
was In the habit Of spending the most Of his
ume. he had not gone Iar before he met the
and was making his way down the railroad
track, not more than i've hundred yards from
where the assault was committed, with
BUNCH OF WILD FLOWERS In HIS HAND
which he had gathered In the woods where
the crime was committed. The officer stopped
the boy and asked him where he had been, and
he said he had been in Gales woods The off,
Ger then asked him where he was ON Mon.
day, and he said he had been in the same
WOODS. without further questioning on the
part Of the officer, the boy said he was not the
boy who assaulted the girl, but 1t was ''Sol'
Williams, who lived at Sd and o streets north
west. The officer disguised his clothing and
went to the house where the boy said Williams
ived, but no such person lived there or in
the neighborhood, and after further investiga-
ton the original boy was taken to the second
precinct station and locked up, charged with
attempted rape. When taken to the station he
gave his name as John johnson, but was known
TO the officers as John alias "Lanky" Jones,
which he afterwards said was his correct name.
Alter the officer failed to find ''Sol' Williams,
whom the prisoner charged with the offense,
the boy confessed that he was the guilty per-
son. Inc prisoner Is fifteen years of age and
roughly dressed, wearing q black SLOUGH hat
and o new pair of shoes.
THE PRISONERS CONFESSION.
When seen in the cell by a STAR reporter he
made full confession. saying that he had seen
the girl In the woods several times, and last
Monday he saw her near the railroad track, be-
tween the old water tank and the German
ScheutZen Park, another smaller girl being
some distance from her, and 8 small boy named
william Mari was with him. He said he drove
a cart for Patrick Cudmore, who lives just over
having anything to do he went over In the
woods TO gather some flowers. Upon seeing
the girl he went over to her and made an
indecent proposition TO her, which she
resented, and he threw her down; that she
fought and scratched him while he attempted
10 accomplish his purpose. He said the scufle
which ensued lasted several minutes, and she
finally got away from him and they separated.
He said he was barefooted when he committed
the assault, and had left his shoes home be-
cause 1t was warm day, and he could get
through the woods better without them.
IDENTIFIED BY THE GIRL.
On examining the prisoners person the OF.
hcers found three scratches, apparently made
by finger nails. The girl, Lizzie Rithmuller,
who was to-day gathering flowers, having com.
panlons with her, this afternoon visited the
station and Identified Jones as her assailant,
DOM 0y looks anu Clothing.