Evening journal., 1889-07-13
A SMYRNA SENSATION.
Infamous Assault Made by a Young
Brute On a school Teacher.


Brute on school Teacher.
An episode took place near Smyrna
little over two weeks ago that never. be-
fore to day was told ia the newspapers,
although It was whispered about from
man to man and woman TO woman
through the town with the effect Of rails
ing such feeling Of indignation that had
the offender been caught he would have
stood in imminent danger of ending his
life without trial, at the end of a
hempen rope.
on Saturday, June 90 the lady teacher
at the schoolhouse at Blackson's Cross
Roads, about six miles from Smyrna,
went into town to attend to some shop.
ping and TO visit relatives, the nearest Of
whom is gentleman who stands in the
ranks Of the most prominent educators
of the state. The teacher is a handsome.
intelligent young woman of about 49,
She boarded with a family near the
schoolhouse, who must be nameless, but
who have always been considered to be OF
the utmost respectability and good
standing
On Saturday evening, a son of the
family with whom the teacher boarded
drove into Smyrna with his buggy, to
take her to his home so that she would
be ready for school on Monday morning.
There were but few more days before
the summer vacation began, aud it is
possible that the teacher may have gone
to the town to purchase few prizes or
re wards for her most diligent scholars
They left Smyrna between . and 10
o'clock, the young woman bidding her
friends good night with no thought of
the true nature of the villain who sat
beside her in the buggy There was
no moon and instead of driving the most
direct road home, he made a detour over
roads that made the distance ten miles
and took road that led through a dense
track of woodland known as Blown
woods. Surprised at her escort actions,
the lady grew apprehensive as they
neared the woods and thoroughly fright
ened when he put his arms about her in
an amorous embrace Then he made
improper proposals to her and when she
vehemertly refused them, attempted to
carry out his purpose. threatening her
with bodily harm if she called for help.
Frantic with fear the girl succeeded in
frustrating his efforts and seizing the
brute's hat with the quickRess of a wo-
mans wit, threw IL from the buggy This
action perhaps was her salvation, for were
the hat found the man would be known
aud his villainy probably discovered
Quickly stopping and turning his horse,
he again warned the girl not to scream
and sprang out to find his hat, holding
the reins in his hand while he drove the
horse back searching for it. Needless OF
the threat the girl, who had now found her
: voice, screamed till the darkness of the
dense woods echoed again and again, and
a colored man living in hut in the
woods, awakened by the noise of heI
voice. came to the window and shouted
in return. At this moment the hat was
J found, and jumping into the buggy the
man put whip to his horse and dashed
away. He made no further attempt to
! molest the girl, who sat as far from hin
as possible. trembling for her life anC
. honor
Finally the gate of the lane that led Il
+ her boarding house, and his home, wa
reached. Before he alighted to open
e he made the girl promise. by almos
y choking her, eni by threatening to TAX
her life, not TO reveal what had takel
!. place in the darkness of the Blow
:, woods. In opening the gate he had Il
. loose his hold on the reins Quick as
7 flash the young woman seized them an
J cutting the horse with the whip. dashe'
away up the lane to the house, where sh
I, sprang from the buggy, rushe
:, into the house and up to he
:. room, locking her door behind hei
The ruffian who accompanied her ha
b not been seen since that night. To
nervous and frightened to go TO bed th
J. young woman remained up all night an
J. the next morning told the father of tn
occurrences of the previous night. A
/. her request he drove her to Smyrna an
} the following day, Monday, she left til
town for her home on the Eastern Shor
, of Virginia to seek rest for her shattere
! nerves and recovery from the shock.
The man who committed the assault
!. was searched for for several days
y men who were so incensed that had the
Y found him would probably lynched hin
y He was thought to be in hiding near b
home. The search has now been abaI
= doned, as the young woman said this
= under no circumstances would she pros
z cute him The family of the man tab
their sons dastardly act very hard
brother committed suicide few yeal
ago on account of a woman. but he Wi
re considered weak minded The other wi
5. has proved himself rutian of the lowe
chr racter, has always been looked upc
J. as a reputable young man, though it WI
% recently said he was the father of Il
illegitimate child OF negro womai
ID which died before the woman could tai
IN action to prove.