Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-07

THE MAN SENT INTO THE CITY At THE POINT OF
REVOLVER AND THE LADY SENT HOME ON
AN ELECTRIC CAR - STORIES OF THE PARTIES
INTERESTED.
According to the statements Of the two in
terested parties somebody made very I'M
usual and curious assault on Miss Nav Dabney
and her escort, Mr.. Thomas B. Durrett, in the
Soldiers Home grounds last night The mat
ter Is still shrouded in considerable mystery,
and the police are at work on the case. At any
rate about 1890 o'clock last night Mr.
Ihos- b. Durrett. who is an accident insurance
agent OF Richmond, Va, entered police head
quarters and made complaint that he had been
assaulted in the Soldiers Home grounds earlier
in the evening.
Mr.. Durrett related to Detective Mahon that
earlier In the evening he had gone out riding in
buggy with Miss May Dabney; had lost his
way in the Soldiers Home grounds and had
been overtaken by darkness.
+ AMAN AND A REVOLVER
As he was endeavoring to find the road ont
man had sprung from the bushes and fired
three shots from a revolver, causing his horse
to run away and upsetting the buggy. The
man had then ordered him at the point Of the
revolver to get on the horse and return to the
city. saying he was officer and would take
the horse and rode to police headquarters.
Both Mr.. Durrett and Miss Dabney at pres
ent live at 507 4th street northwest, where Miss
Dabneys sister has boarding house. Mr..
Durrett resides in Richmond and is here on
business. while Miss Dabney is a native Of
Spottsylvania, Va, and up to q short time ago
was a clerk in the census Office.
A better idea Of the occurrence last night
can be gained from the experiences as related
by the interested parties.
MR.. DURRETr's STORY.
To STAR reporter Mr.. Durrett related his
end of the affair. Miss Dabney, he said, was an
intimate friend Of his family and was really con-
sidered as one of the family. Yesterday even
ing he and Miss Dabney went for a drive and
came through the Soldiers Home grounds.
Returning he missed the road and could not
tell exactly how to get to the east gate. His
horse was going along slowly when
another horse and buggy passed him
at pretty rapid gait. Thinking
the stranger would lead the way out he fol-
keep up and he stopped to listen for the sound.
Finally he determined to 60 on and while driv-
ing at a rather rapid rate of speed one Of
the bridges, man rushed from the bushes,
frightening his horse into running away.
HIS HORSE RAN AWAY.
He endeavored to control the animal but the
man. firing three shots from a revolver, still
further frightened the animal, and when
sharp turn in the road was reached the buggy
upset and he was thrown out. After the buggy
upset. says Mr.. Durrett. he held TO the reins
and was dragged fully 100 yards. When he
had recovered his feet the cause of the accident
had reached the spot and said, Il want you
81 asked him what he wanted me for" said
Mr.. Durrett, ''and he pointed his pistol at me
and said he would take the lady to the home
and hold her until took the horse and buggy
in and furf har hot II \
came step nearer he would shoot me.
Il had no pistol" continued Mr.. Dur
rett, or would have shot the man. As it
was all could do WAS to get on the horses
back and return to the city. did not remem-
Der anything more until got in front Of the
patent office and discovered that was on the
horses back and had the lap robe
This morning MIR. Durrett went out to the
scene of the accident where he found his dam
aged buggy and whip on the road. He also
found his watch and chain on tho ground
where they had fallen.
MISS DABSEYs VERSION.
Miss Dabney is an attractive looking young
lady, and this morning when a STAR reporter
called was dressed becomingly in tight-ftting
reports have been published" was Miss Dab
neys opening. ''No violence whatever was
offered me by the man at the Soldiers Home
and the only physical injury I sustained was
being bruised slightly through the buggy up
setting.
'.You wish an account of the AFFAIR." Well. in
my opinion, 1t WAS simply case Of robbery.
Mr.. Durrett, who is an old friend, and myself
had driven out to Brookland, and returning
passed through the Soldiers Home grounds.
1t was becoming late and we were unable tO
| find the road out. We determined to follow :.
buggy which passed us, and while driving
| along quite rapidly man sprang from the
| bushes and ran along by the side of the
horse. He called for us to stop and at
the same time fired off a revolver several times.
Both Mr.. Durrett and myself leaned forward to
| avoid any bullets and Immediately afterward
| the buggy was upset. was thrown completely
out and Mr.. Durrett WAS dragged on for some
distance. l arose, and seeing Mr.. Durrett was
| struggling to quiet the horse walked back to
pick up my hat. Returning found the man
who had frightened the horse. l did not hear
| any of the conversation between Mr.. Durrett
and the man.
THE MAN LIT A MATCH.
"When I came up the mar Lit a match and
looked at me and then said that he was an Off
Ger and We had no business in the grounds at
that hour. He told Mr.. Durrett to get on the
horse and return to the city and he would take
charge of me- l said that would prefer to
return with Mr. Durrett but he said no. he
would see that l was taken care of. protested,
but without avail. After Mr.. Durrett left the
grounds l said we were simply driving. and
he replied that no one had any business there
| after shutdown. that he was an officer and pro-
posed tolock me up. l asked him where his
badge was and he said he was a Waterman at
the grounds and did not need badge. He
asked me if had any money, and said if had
he would take me to the cars. gave him $40
and We walked around to the electric cars and
l came home.
USED NO BAD LANGUAGE.
"The man said very little to me on the road
and used no bad language. He said he had
mistaken me for another party, whom he was
looking for, and described buggy similar to
] ours. but containing very young man and a
| lady dressed in white. At the car he simply
said. 'Thats your car, and walked off.
Eyes, I think / would recognize the man
again, as got quite good look at him when
he lit the match. He was a respectable looking
man, about thirty-five years of age, seemingly.
and with q mustache. He was dressed in a
| dark suit with a sack coat"
Detective Mahon today made trip to Sol
diers Home to look further into the matter
and to find If any of the watchmen at the
\ grounds know anything of the affair.
BRIDEGROOM IN JAIL