Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-29
NARROWLY ESCAPED
Close to a Lynching Yesterday in Alex
andria County.
Albert Hawkins Made an Assault on q
Little School Girl-Cnp-
tured and Held.

Albert Hawkins, a sixteen-year-old negro
boy. attempted an outrageous assault upon
Sadie Sherier, the twelve-year-old daughter
of a prosperous German farmer living on
the Falls Church road, four miles from this
city, yesterday afternoon, and for several
hours Alexandria county in the vicinity of
the crime was wild with excitement, and
collision Of serious character between the
races at one time seemed imminent.
Hawkins, who is a Washington boy,went
to live at Linconville with his brother-in-
law, Daniel Masterson, two months ago.
Near this village, which is about three
miles from Washington, is the Cane school,
taught by Prof Henry Stolcup. which the
little girl attended. She was returning
home from her studies about 4:3O o'clock,
and was passing along cow path through
thick VIC eds. when Hawkins. who had
seen her pass that way in the morning, and
who had then evidently conceived his pur-
pose sprang out from where he had been
awaiting her and seized her. The child
screamed in fright, and the brute tried 10
hold her mouth, and also to choke her. He
was fast overpow erfng her, when two chill
Gren named Russell, playmates and neigh
bors of the Sherier children, came running
down the path, attracted by Sadie's
screams. Hawkins ran away at their ap-
proach, without accomplishing his purpose,
and went to Daniel Masterson's house in
Lincolnville, where he was captured by
Mr.. George Connolly, nephew of Mr..
Sherier, two hours after the assault. Con-
nelly marched Hawkins to the Sherer
farm. several men joining him on the way,
and when Sadie identified the prisoner as
her assailant the latter broke away and
ran, but was stopped by the father of the
child, who pointed q gun at him and COM
maDded him to halt.
The news Of the affair had spread rapidly,
and a large crowd soon assembled at the
Sherier farm. ard there were many threats
of lynching Hawkins. Mr.. Sherier, how
ever, insisted that the law should take its
course, and Hawkins was taken to Magfs-
trate Paynes house, at Ballston. AS night
advanced the condition of affairs began to
grow more serious. Those in favor of
| lynchiiIs the prisoner grew more numerous
and vehement, and this stirred up the
negroes Of Lincolnvile who, to the number
| of % or 30, armed themselves and proceed
! ed to Ballston. with the declared purpose of
! preventing injury to Hawkins. A conflict
between the white farmers and the negroes
seemed Inevitable, when Constable Lemuel
Massey. by clever subterfuge, attracted the
attention of the mob to the front of the
magistrates house, and then slipped Haw-
through the woods. When the lynching
party found the prisoner had been spirited
away two crowds were formed. and the
roads leading from the place followed, but
to no purpose. While Hawkins was at
Magistrate Payne's house the latter order
ed him to be held for the grand jury on
| two charges-assaut and assault with GRIM
ness of Constable Massey that a lynching
and a subsequent fight between the whites
and the blacks did not occur.
|