The morning times., 1895-11-03
In A VILLAINS CLUTCHES
Attempted Assault By a Negro
Upon a Little Alexandria Girl.
He Had Caught Hold of Her Dress, But
She Succeeded I'm Brea king a way
and Reaching Home.

A bold attempt was made by an uDkno wn
negro on Friday night last to COMMIT
a criminal assault upon Bessie Davis, a
pretty fourteen-ycaI-Jld girl, the daugh-
ter of Mr.. Wallace DAVIS, a weIl-kno wn
painter, who resides in the court Just
south Of the country market in this city.
1t was shortly after O'Clock on Friday
night when the child came running into
tue house nearly exhausted and gasping
for breath, and crying hystericaiiy. 1t
WAS some time before tue family were able
to get her story, and she told 1t then be-
tween sobS.
II appears that the girl had been visit
ing an aunt on Prince street, near Lee,
and about x O'Clock she starred for home.
! THE night was dark and no electric lights
were burning, and as she passed DOWN
Lee street, from Prince to King. Il negro
Jumped out from IN alley and made q dash
for her, but only caught hold of her dress.
He tried to drag her into the alley, but
Sue fought and managed to break loose
from his grasp. Then she ran for her
home, only twD squares a way, as fast
as she could go.t Her terror while in
the clutches of the villain was so great
that in The semi-iarkneSs she was unable
to see enough OF him to be able TO recOg-
nize him. All She can rccollect is that
he was black and had on light trousers or
overalls.
Tue scene of the attempted assault is
but a little over a. square from the river
front and in d. very lonely neiglIhOrhood
after nightfall The child suffered greatly
that a physician had to be called in, and
while last night she was much better, she
had not entirely recovered. The case has
been put into the hands of the police.
The new regulations for the government
of the police force, which have been in
the hands OF uespnntcr for The past two
weeks. viii be CoAlpleted early next week
and VIII be turned over tu the COmmis-
sioners. who VIII have the force brought
before them. and each man will be given
COPY of the new regulations and Will be
toll n h.a OK Ia hfl
rules well and to govern himself by them
Bishop Van de Tyver, of Richmond, is in
the city, and VIII this morning, after the
"a O'Clock mass in st. MaTy's Church. ad
minister the sacrament Of confirmation
to u large class Of children and adults.
At the IL a. III. mass the bishop VIII
preach.
II is generally eXpe,ted that at the next
meeting of the city council. on tue second
Tuesday in this month, the committee on
public property will be authorized TO take
possession of so much Of the old court
house lot as is needed for the new hydraulic
engine house. and the laying off OF the
rounds for the building viii he begun. The
county authorities Will then swear out an
Injunction and the matter viii 60 into the
courts for decision.
The new mission chapel uf the First
Baptist Church. which has Just been erected
on the corner OF West and Monroe streets,
will be opened for divine service for the
first time tomorrow evening at 5 o CLOCK,
Rev. Or. Butler. the pastor Uf the Baptist
church. viii conduct the Gedicatory eXer-
cises. The chapel is pretty little build
ing of pressed brick, and VIII seat about
| 300 persons.
Mr.. Robert A. Cline. of this city, and
! Miss Sarah Cooper of Philadelphia were
| married in Minneapolis On Monday evening
| last. and arrived at their home here yes
| terday.
The Robert Portner Brewing Company
| will early next week commence the cree
| ton of a new bottliug house Mt the plant
| on North St Asaph street. The new buiid-
! ing will he 50xl50 feet in size and VIII
| he two stories in height and of pressed
! brick.
The athletic sports of the Episcopal High
| School. which were to have taken place
Yesterday. have, owing to the very bad
| weather, been postponed until Saturday
next.
st. Mary's Catholic Church has been fitted
| up with steam heating apparatus, The
work having been completed yesterday
| The Rev. Mr.. Hamnl. of Washington
| will fill the pulpit in the German Lutheran
| Church at all the services to-day
| Messrs. Cha riley Bell. Charles Moore,
| August Gaines, and Lewis SchuTnan left
! here this morning on the steamer America,
for weeks hunting trip along the lower
| river.