Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-05-03
SHOCKING STORY or A CRIME.
A Fifteen-Years-Old Girl Outraged
and Murdered.

Her Escort Knocked Senseless by the VIII
lnin--Circuinstinciai Evidence Against
Negro blacksmith Us the Guilty Party.
STAUNToS, VA April 9D.-The peo-
pie Of Stanton were shocked early this
morning by the announcement that a
young girl had been crimnally assaulted
and murdered by negro about two
miles east Of the city hall. Tho victim
of this double crime was Miss Lottie
Rowe, tho t5.ycars.old daughter Of
Joseph Rowe. The body Of tho muir
1ercd girl Yves found about dawn on the
track Of tho Chesapeake IS Ohio rail
road, face downward, With her shoulders
across the rail, by IN old negro man.
The entire top part Of the skull was
shattered, while her person bore unmis-
taxable marks Of assault
An Investigation was at once insti-
tuted. II seems that tho young girl,
together with Charles Bradford, had
started about midnight from the house
Of her uncle, John Rowe, 10 her own
home across the railroad and about 800
yards from her uncle's. Bradford
states that as they approached the
bridge they passed negro man, who
afterwartl followed, overlook and at
tackled him (Bradford) knocking him
of the bridge 20 the railroad embank-
lnent several feet below. On recovering
consciousness he went to the girls
home, told of the attack or him, and
asked If she had reached home. She
had not, and q search was instituted.
From the description given to the
police by Bradford they went to the
NJ 7 S1tilnp
blacksmith, near by, and, under prctonse
Of wanting him to identify another
party, lie was brought here, charged
with the murder and locked up. Mean
while evidences Of his guilt were rapidly
discovered. lie had been identified by
Bradford as the man who assaulted him,
had been at Rowe's house drinking and
had left there just before the couple.
From the bridge Spiller was tracked
down the road about so yards, Here he
had gone over wire fence, and here
were found his hat, identified by several
persons, and bludgeon, which the
prisoner admits having made.
A rain which had fallen an hour be-
fore enabled the officers to track Spiller
to the spot where evidences of struggle
showed the assault had been committed
Thence tho negro had carried the un-
conscious girl toward the railroad,
thrown her over wire fence, on which
pieces of her clothing were found, and
carried her body to the railroad track,
where the bloody stone with which her
skull had been crushed was found
On going to Spiller's house just after
the murder his wife was found burning
his clothes, but they were snatched from
the stove and found to bear spots of
mud and blood. They have been recog-
nized as the clothes he had on at Rowe's
last night. The prisoner is powerful
mulGtto, more than feet tall, about 30
years old and weighc 240 pounds. When
arrested he had revolver on him. He
protested his innocence, but admitted
that he had been drinking and could
give no satisfactory account Of his
whereabouts. Spiller served five years
term in the West Virginia penitentiary
for assault with intent to kill.
The West Augusta Guard, Captain H.
w. Holt, has been ordered under arms
and is bivouacked in the court house,
opposite the JUL. The Harrisonburg
Guards have been telegraphed to be
ready and Superintendent Prince, OF the
Valley railroad, has wired that he will
place a special train at their disposal.
Groups of men arc abundant on the
streets outside, and there is fear Of an
attempt at lynching the prisoner.