Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-28
LITTLE TO WORK ON.
THE POLICE WITHOUT CLUE IN THE
WEST-END ASSAULT CASE.
Numerous Negroes Arrested. But None OF
Them Identified-what n Dispatch
Man Found Ont Yesterday.


some new and more tangible clue than
they now have the person who on Wednes-
day evening last made a criminal assault
on little Bessie Pulling will never be
brought to Justice.
Another day but deepens the mystery
that has enveloped the case from the be-
ginning, and while the investigation thus
far made has been prolific OF varying
phases there have been practically no ma
tteriall developments within the last twenty
four hours.
The girls account Of the affair, il will be
remembered. is that while walking along
the east side of Morris street, just opposite
her fathers house, about O'Clock in the
evening, she was seized by n negro, carried
into the old Morton flower-gsrden, and
made the victim of an outrageous deed.
Her assalant, she says, put his hand over
her mouth and told her that If she attempt
ed to cry out he would kill her. SO far as IS
now known the only witnesses-if they may
be called such-to the crime were Burwell
Smith and Robert Freeman. two colored
men, whom the police say are perfectly re-
liable. All that they know of the occur
renee is that they saw the girl and man
cross the street together and 60 into. the
old Morton lot 10 was too dark for them
to see If the man was white or black and
what amount Of force he used.
DARK PLACE.
There seems to be lurking impression
in the minds of many that the affair hap
pened on Reservoir street. 1t was not
there, but on Morris, fully one hundred
yards TO the west. There is no electric
light oil the corner Of Main at this street;
The nearest one il at Reservoir street and
hta1 - Il. 10 ,f lifrht thn
lot In question, but does illuminate tho
opposite side of the street little.
There is q picket fence along the vacant
space, a portion of which is torn down
about midway of the block. 1t was through
this that an entrance was effected, and the
deed was accomplished within few feet
OF the pavement.
NOTHING TO WORK on.
Ever since receiving the information OF
the commission of the crime Captain Hulce
and three Of his most skilful men have
been at work on the case. Up 70 the pres
ent time the policy of the officers has been
70 take Into custody every person who tai
lied with the girls description or her as
sailant and carry them to the victims bed
side TO be identified. In execution OF this
programme several we're taken there Thurs
day and a half-dOZen or more yesterday.
In every instance she said the person was
not the right one. Bessie sticks closely TO
her first account of the affair and insists
that the man who assaulted her was yeTy
black and had on q cap with brim to 1t.
HE BAD SWEET BREATH.
Thursday night the officers were almost
certain that they had the man wanted;
suspicious-looking negro who answered the
description fully was picked up on the
street and presented for inspection. The
little girl looked at him steadily for mo-
ment aud said: "Letme smell his BREATH
The negro was brought closer, and Bessie
used her nose for moment and said Yes, "
then mo" She did this some several
times, and turning to the policeman said
" l can't tell tonight. BRING hlm back To-
morrow. | remember the mans breath
smelt of cigarettes, and was very sweet
besides, and this ones IL like his.
Yesterday morning the man was taken
before her again, and Bessie said he was
not the guilty one.
HADA CAP on.
Yesterday morning two young negro
men, one of whom was known 70 have had
a cap like the one worn by the sought-tor
man. were arrested. The head-gear in
question WAS found, but the little girl was
positive that neither of them was the per-
son wanted.
A trip was made by one of the officers
some distance into Henrico and an arrest
made. When the prisoner was presented
for Identification he was not recognized
and was accordingly released.
HUNDREDS OF VISITORS.
All of Yesterday and Thursday sympa-
thiEng friends and neighbors called at the
house of the unfortunate child's parents.
A white napkin on the front door gave no.
tice that some one within was seriously Ill.
A Dispdtch reporter saw MIR. Pulling yes
terday afternoon and he stated that the
doctor had positively forbidden any one
talking TO the child.
IN THE NEIGHDoRHooD.
Approaching that the case was one that
demanded the closest investigation the
newspaper-man spent an hour OF SO IN tne
neighborhood of the place where the de
plorable event occurred. The residents
were all still greatly excited over the affair
and could not understand how such an
offence could have been committed hall
block from Main street in O thickly-settled
portion of the city.
At the transfer-station, corner Main and
Reservoir streets, one of the policemen IN
citizens clothes who is working on the
case was met. There were, he said, no new
developments in the case.
Inside the house o brother OF the victim
of the assault was warming by the fire.
He said that az soon as his sister came in
Wednesday night and told what mad hap
pened his mother went down 10 Johann's 8
drugstore and sent message 10 the police
station. He himself ran down TO AntenIs,
corner Seventh and Broad streets, and told
his father, who came home IN little while.
Probably thlsis one of the points that
has caused more talk than any other IN
the case.
WHY no NOTICE WAS GIVEN.
The question has been asked time and
aqain why is it that if the offence was
committed at 7 o'clock at night nothing
was known of il at the statiOn-house un-
I'll the next morning?
Captain Hulce explained this yesterday,
saving that the policemen who had been az
the marriage at Grove-Avenue Baptist
church learned of the affair about O'Clock
and under the direction of the sergeant at
once went to work on it, and could see no
necessity for notifying the statlon-house.
DID NOT TELEPHONE, HE SAYS.
Mr.. Johann was next called upon by the
Dispatch man. He said Mrs. Pulling did
come TO his residence to7er his store)
Wednesday night and tell his wife OF the
occurrence shortly after il happened. He
went after Dr. Franklin tor Mrs. Pulilng,
her fnmily physician, DR.. George Ben;
Johnston, being, as he understood, out of
the city. It was his intention to have tele-
poned the station-house. but there were
several young men standing around the
store whom he did not wish 10 know about
the matter, so he did not communicate
with the station.
THE POLICEMEN CAME.
DIR. Franklin, the physician who attend
ed the little girl Wednesday night, was
also seen. Mr.. Johann, he said, came, at
ter him during the hard ram ana got nm
TO 90 and see the little girl. Mr. Johann
told him that he was going to send a teie-
phone message to the station-house and he
thought he Fad done so, for when he re-
turned TO his Office a couple OF policemen
came up TO ask him about the matter.
Is THERE A MYSTERY
In talking to the Dispatch man yesterday
the officers fntimated that when the little
yirl has sufficiently recovered TO be sub