The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-21
ATTACKED
BY A NEGRO.
Mrs. George R. Henderson Makes
a Narrow Escape.
WHILE WALKING BEYOND BEL.
MONT ON HER WAY TO ATTEND
COL. TAYLOE's FUNERAL SHE is
ROUGHLY HANDLED BY A NE
GRO BRUTE, WHO HELD A KNIFE
AT HER THROAT AND THREAT
ENED TO KILL HER.

wave of excitement and Indignation
was created yesterday morning when it
was repof ted that Mrs. Geo. r. Hender-
son, vile of Geo. r. Henderson, of the
Norfolk and Western, had been assaulted
by negro while she was enroute to at
tend the funeral of Col. Geo. p. Tayloe
Yesterday morning when Mr.. Hender-
son left his home at 80 Ninth street s.
W., he told Mrs. Henderson that it was
his Intention to attend tine funeral of Col.
Tayloe, and il she wished to 20 she should
meet him ut u certain point which was on
the route that each one would have to 60
WAS GATHERING FLOWERS.
According to the engagement Mrs
Henderson left home and started for the
spot where she was to join her husband
and go to the funeral together. While
passing through Belmont, in the south
eastern section of the city, the lady in
question noticed some flowers along the
roadside, and was in the act of gathering
them when young negro, whom Mrs
Henderson afterward described as being
very black, smooth face and five and n
half feet tall, approached her suddenly
and taking hold of her around the waist
with his left arm he at the same time
drew knife on her and told he, if she
attempted to give any alarm he would
kill her.
HER DESPERATE STRUGGLE.
Mrs. Henderson Mt once recognized her
trying position and she fought desperate
ly for her liberty. In the scuf1le she had
her clothing disarranged, but before the
fiend could accomplish his purpose Mrs.
Henderson saw some colored women APP
preaching and she told her assailant that
she would give him her watch if he would
spare her life. by this time the negro saw
the women referred to coming and he
grabbed the watch and made his escape,
coming, so it is said, toward the city.
GIVING THE ALARM
Mrs. Henderson, as best she could, ar.
ranged her wearing apparel and quicken.
ed her step toward her point of destina-
tlon, but before going very far she met
w. r. Moomaw, member OF the board of
supervisors of Roanoke county, to whom
she reported what had happened He at
once drove to town and reported the mat
ter to the police and to the w. G. Baldwin
Detective Agency, Mrs. Henderson, con.
tinuing her journey to Col. Tayloe's late
home.
Shortly after reaching there her hus-
band arrived and noticing his wife suffer-
ing from nervous prostration, he secured
II carriage and brought her to the city.
FAILED TO IDENTIFY HIM.
About 2 o'clock a negro who answered
the description was captured by the pc.
ice and large crowd congregated around
the police headquarters to await the ar
rival OF Mrs. Henderson to identify him.
She said the one they had captured was
not the one that made the assault and he
was accordingly released.
The police are on the lookout and have
sent descriptions all along the railroad
and it is safe to predict that the negro
will soon be captured.
The watch STOLEN from Mrs Hender son
was small open faced gold watch
with the initials ''V. C H." engraved on
the back. There was short chain mt.
tached to the watch and gold ball at the
end of the chain.