Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-29
S RONG EVlDEN nee
4 Gaithsrshurg Citizen Puts it To-
. gsther.
Why II II Believed Randolph Com
nitted the Assault on the
DUxtOns.

although the Washington detectives,
Messrs. Weldon and Horne, have aban-
doned their attempts to unravel the mys-
teries connected with the murderous as
sault on the Buxton family at Gathers
burg Monday morning last, the people of
the town." said Mr.. J. B. Adams, a resi-
dent Of the place, today to a Star reporter.
will leave no stone pnturned to fasten the
outrageous crime upon the guilty parties.
We do not want to hang Randolph and
Neale IL it can be shown that they are in
noccnt. 1t is true that we have no positive
proof against them; all the evidence is cir
cumstantial: but it is the strongest kind of
circumstantial testimony.
I'VE now have positive proof that the
shirt that is being worn by Randolph in
theBalttmore Jail is a duplicate of one pur
chased by Jim Johnson. one Of the occu-
pants of the Neale cabin, and We also have
the evidence of a merchant that he sold
both shirts to Johnson.
johnson is new in the Rockville jail.
where he is detained as a witness. as are
also two boys of the NeaIe family. who
have stated to several persons that they
heard a strange man talking with some of
the members of the family in reference to
a bloody shirt which they said was subse-
quently burned.
Neale's Nerve.
Much has been made in some quarters
very cool manner after his arrest That
is nothing surprising for George. When he
was arrested on the charge of rape, for
which he subsequently served long term
in the penitentiary, George was less ex-
cited than any of his captors, and his de-
MAI or the crime together with the fact
that the girl, after talk with her mother
declined TO positively identify him. resulted
IN his release. He even the next day got
a gun and said he was going out to cap
ture the man who committed the crime.
AS has already been stated in The Star,
Neale threatened to do the men who ar
rested him when he got out of the peniten-
tlary. These men were Messrs Buxton and
English, and on the night of the assault on
the family OF the former the residences of
FORMER by Randolph and the latter by
Neale. In the latter case a stick was
Knocked down by the intruder, causing a
loud noise, and this awakened a pet coon
belonging to a member Of the family The
coon, which had a chain about Its neck
started upstairs. and the noise made by the
chaln reused the household, who began to
scream. and hearing this the would be rob-
Der, and perhaps also murderer, left
Believe Randolph Did 1t.
I'VE believe that Randolph assaulted the
Buxton family, not because he had any,
thing against any of them, but simply to
please Neale, who had sworn to be reyene-
ed for his arrest by Buxton and English
nearly ten years ago. From the Buxton
house the tracks Of the assassin led direct
to the Nea!e cabin, where the conversation
above referI sd to as being heard by the
Neale boys took place. After leaving the
Neale cabin. the tracks. which were hun
dreds IN number and into which the shoes
OF randolph fitted In every particular and
with several peculiarities. led into and
through fields out of which Randolph was
seen to come.
1t was simply impossible for Randolph to
have gotten into Wards barn. where he
said he slept on the night Of the crime. as
one of Mr.. Wards sons locked 1t I'D tightly
early in the evening and did not unlock 1t
until after the time Randolph said he left
il in the morning.
THE people of Gaithersburg are determin-
ed that the accused shall have a fair trial
and the danger Of lynching has passed
away. We are satisfied that Deputy Sheriff
Thompson and Rev. Mr.. Lloyd, together
with those who are assisting them in the
matter. will secure enough evidence to con-
Wet Randolph of the crime and Neale with
being an accessory after the fact, IL not,
indeed, before, but should they be acquitted
there are. / am free to say, many citizens
of that vicinity who will move away"