Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-25
GASHED WITH AN AK
Attempted Murder ola Montgomery
County Family.
-FOUR VICTIMS OF DEADLY ASSAULT
Miller Buxton, Wife and Dauyh e,s
of Gaithersburg.
TWO SUSPECTS CAPTURED

| Special Dispatch From a Staff Correspondent
ROCKVILLE, Nd, May 23.-Shortly
after o'clock this morning residents of the
north 'nd of Gather sburg We're aroused
| by screams issuing from the residence CT
| w. Lemuel Buxton, a miller, and a few
| moments later a woman, with the blood
streaming from her head. ran from the
| house, with baby in her arms.
Neighhors quickly gathered and entered
the Buxton house, where a terrible scene
| awaited them. The beds in the two bed
rooms were covered with blood, and upon
| enc lay Mr.. Buxton, unconscious, with two
! gaping wounds in his head In the other
room were Maud Buxton, sixteen years
old. with cash across the side of her
head, and Sadie, her six-year-old sister,
with her skull laid open and her left eye
nearly forced out. An AK covered with
blood and hair was found on the steps.
| When Mrs. Buxton recovered sufficiently
to talk she said that she was awakened by
| a blow on her head, but had an indistinct
recollection of hearing a pistol shot. Be
| fore that she says she heard her
daughters scream in the next room. and
started for them, when big colored man
sliced her by the throat, choked her and
threw her back. She then grabbed her
| baby and ran from the house.
| Mr.. Buxton recovered consciousness later
and said he was struck in the head while
asleep, ard, half daZed, seized his pistol
| anc fired shot, but it went in the floor.
| He was struck again, and kEew no more.
Buxton has three ak cuts in his head,
| one on each side and across the tCD.
| Mrs. Buxton was struck twice; the dauGh-
| ters We're given one murGerous blow each.
| There was intense excitement in the
town, and immediate steps were taken to
| find the pcrpetrator of the crime. A col
ored man had been seen leaving the Bux-
ton house, and by & O'Clock a large force
OF men, mounted and afoot, were securing
| the country.
| The feeling was increased by the state
ment that Sadie Buxton was dead and
farmers and others living in the vicinity
| hurried into Gaithersburg.
| The child, however, rallied, althoug Oh
there was no chance of her recovery, and a
| systematic search was organized. About
| o'clock Messrs. Garrett and Ward who
Were on horseback. overlook "A big colorcti
man named Sidney Randolph, some dis
| tance from the town, going toward Hunt
ing Hill.
When they rode up the man showed
| fight, and Ward shot at him. The bullet
| struck him in the hand passing through
and lodging in his leg. He was taken to
animation was carried to the Rockville
Jail.
| AT the same time George Neale a COL
ored man who bears an unsavory reputa-
! ton in Gaithers5urg, and who was con-
| victed of attempted rape some years ago
| and served a term in the house of correc
ton therefor, was also arrested and brought
| to Rockville with Randolph. The man
were handcuffed and tied in buggies, and
| were in custody of Deputy Sheriffs w. NJ
| Howes and c. H. NJ. Peyton.
| Randolph said to TIE Star correspondent
| that he was native of Georgia, but had
been in Baltimore, from whence he went to
| Washington two weeks ago. He declared
he had come out in Maryland searching
for work and last night slept in a barn
near Gaithersburg. He left there early, he
| said because he was afraid the owner of
| the barn might object to his sleeping there
and when he was overtaken by those who
captured him he thought they We're after
| him for sleeping in the barn.
| They looked mad they scared me-
| he said, "and l tried to get away. Then
they rode their horses over and one Of
! them shot me- He declared he had not
| been near BuXtons and hal not injured
| anybody. When asked where his coat was
as he was clad only in an mdershirt and
| trousers when arrested, he said it was
stolen from him last Wednesday.
Neae declared he knew nothing of the
crime, and said he reckoned they had only
arrested him to hold some one until the
| right man was caught.
| At 10 O'Clock rumor spread in Gathers
burg that lot of bloody clothing had been
found in Neale's house, and feeling ran
high against him. few minutes later
| hot oI,,I' bod
| been found full of blood.
1t was lucky for him that he was in
Jail at Rockville, this proof Of his con-
nection with the crime simply maddened
| the crowd.
| BY II o'clock nearly every able-bodied
white man living within five miles of
| Gaithersburg was in town. While they
| were cool there was but one sentiment, and
that was a demand for instant punishment
| Of the wretch. The absence of any motive
| of revenge on the part of any one toward
the Buxton family made it evident that
the man or men (for some persons believe
there were more than one concerned in the
crime) were bent on robbery.
Randolph, for whom circumstances ap-
pear to be rapidly weaving a rope
is tall negro, apparently about twen-
ty-fve years of age, Of large mus
| Culdr lTdIle dllu very DldCk SKlT II ne
| committed the crime he has great control
over himself because on the ride from
| Gaithe.sburg to Rockville, during which
The Star correspondent drove in a buggy
ty the side of that containing him and
Deputy Howes, he appeared nonchalant
and unconcerned and bore the scrutiny of
the many who passed on their way to
Gaithersburg without sign Of nervousness.
His absolute denial of any knowledge of
| the crime was given with the same cool
ness. He passed through Rockville yes
| terday and asked for something to eat at
several houses, ard a woman who gave
him food said he then wore coat.
| Montgomery county in this vicinity has
not been SO intensely excited in years.
From Rockville and the surrounding coun-
try men have been pouring into Gathers
burg all day.
If the crime IS fastened on any man or
men it is not likely there will be trial in
a court of law. This is the unanimous
sentiment and there seems to be no effort
to quell it.
A request was sent to Inspector Holm