The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-12
A Roanoke Negro Fiend Guarded in
the City Jail.
ANOTHER OUTRAGEOUS ASSAULT,
PURSUITS, CAPTURE AND DE.
LIVERY OF THE ASsAILANT TO
OFFICERS THE CROWD THIRST
ING FOR THE NEGRo's LIFE
OUTwITTED AND THE PRISONER
LANDED IN JAIL.

Asheville. N. c., Aug. lion Sunday
Bob Bracket, negro formerly of Roa-
noke, Va, on his way to Ivy township
from Asheville, met pretty Kitty Hender-
son, daughter of a well-to-do and respect
able farmer living near Weaverville,
eight miles north OF Ashevlle He
choked her Tito insensibility, outraged
her and left her unconscious.
In few hours bands of men were
looking for negro answering the meagre
description Miss Henderson was able to
give in moments of consciousness, but it
was not till o.day that he was found
thirty miles away ut the home of negro
preacher and in bed. He made no resist
ance and confessed that he was the man
wanted
He was at once taken to the home of
his victim, and the young lady reaflirmed
positively that he was the man. The
crowd outside had by this time learned
of the negro's identification, and loud
cries were raised against him. Deputy
Mcdonald stated to the crowd that the
negro would be taken to Asheville.
II will pledge myself that the com
missioners will call the first of next week
for his trial." said the officer, and with
his captured negro he stepped out of the
house
AS the negro stepped from the door,
Miss Henderson appeared on the step and
exclaimed:
II prayed in my helplessness that God
would spare my life and send friends to
avenge ne, now they have come to help
me. You may hang him or burn him. -
and she fell back into her mothers arms
half unconscious.
Cries arose, "Iang him." "Burn him..
Deputy Reynolds broke into the din with
the remark:
MEN, If you hang him you are all
known and will be tried for murder
"That's all right,' replied the mad
dened crowd, 1--WE will take CAFE of that. /"
But there was waver of hesitation
when Walter Vandver, II prominent cit
izen of Weavervillc, rose in his stirrups
and with few ringing words asked the
men to save the fair name of the county
from such crime. In the hesitation of
the moment the negro WAS thrown on
horse back OF the deputy and the 800 me n
of the neighborhood falling behind the
officer the prisoner came into Asheville
where through Il crowd numbering Der
haps ,OOO.h was taken to the county iail.
On the way in the negro again confessed
that he was Miss Henderson IS assailart.
Court will he convened probably to.mor-
row to try Brackett.
LATER.-At $50 p. nj. a mob storm
ed The Jail and soon battered in the front
door. A rush was made for the cells
and the steel doors are now being cut
llown 1t is reported that the negro was
spirited away about Z p. M If he is in
Jail he will be lynched before morning.
AND STILL ANOTHER.
Charleston, S. c., Aug. II. One of the
most brutal crimes in the annals Of this
city occurred here tonight at 10 O'Clock.
"A burly negro named Jim Nelson en-.
ticed little Syear-old girl from her
home on the outskirts of the city and
committed fiendish assault upon Ter.
He then left the child, who was a para
lytic, to her fate. The negro was later
arrested and lodged in the station house
The colored population are in the highest
state OF excitement, but no further trou-
BILE is feared.