The San Francisco call., 1897-06-16
CITIZENS GATHER
/ TO TAKE A LIFE
Los Angeles Sheriff Pre-
vents LynChing at
AzuSa.
Dodges a Mob Waiting to Take
From Him a Negro
Prisoner.
Excitement Over an Attempt tc
Abduct the Daughter OF
Rancher.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, June 15.-Sheriff
Burr, with posse of deputies and two
bloodhounds, to-day pursued and cap
tured negro charged with crime so
serious that should the fellow chance 10
fall into the hands of an enraged popuIace
his acts would be considered ample
ground for speedy lynching.
At an early hour this morning the
Sheriff received word from Azusa that his
services were needed 10 apprehend a bold
villain who had attempted to abduct Ad-
die Woods, the 15-year-oId daughter of
George Woods and wife, res pectable
yanchers in a small way. The crime was
committed at midnight. The girl awak-
ened from her sleep to find herself in the
arms of a strange man. who was in the act
OF carrying her out of her room through a
window. Realizing her peril, Miss Addie
screamed and seized the window sas h,
holding on with such tenacity that the
fiend was constrained 10 let go. Alarmed
by the approach of Mr.. Woods, who had
been called by his daughters cry, he pre-
cipitately fed.
An investigation disclosed the fact that
the would-be abductor had prepared a
bundle of the girls clothing to carry with
her and this he dropped as he took to
fight.
1t was the substance of this informa-
ton that was telephoned to the Sheriff,
who, as soon as possible departed for
Azusa, accom- panied by Deputy Sheriff
White and two Cuban bloodhounds from
Belts kennels. At Azusa the Sheriff was
Joined By Deputy Constable Crawford.
After viewing he premises where the
abduction was attempted, the dogs were
given the scent and the chase began.
The blood hounds took the scent at once
and started on a trail, the officers on
horseback following close behind. With
but few delays the hounds kept close to
the trail they had found, leading the Off
GERS fully fifteen miles into q field of
Chaparral, where was found upon the
ground large and powerful negro who
was either asleep or felgning.
The man was awakened and arrested.
He did not resist though he displayed
much anger ana protested his innocence
of the crime charged against him. He
was handcuffed and started back toward
Azusa, but lie begged so pititully not to
be taken there to risk beng Iynched that
White went ahead to reconnoi
Sheriff Burr had ridden in advance to
Duarte, this side of Azusa, and at that
point he was reached by a telephone mes
sage from White, saying that great
crowd of men mad gathered IN Azusa
ready 10 lynch tho negro if brought into
town. The Sheriff gave him instructions
20 dodge the crowd, and White hired a
carriage and team at livery stable, went
out 10 where he had left the prisoner in
charge of era wford and then all drove
direct to Duarte. There a train was
boarded, the party this evening coming
TO this city. The prisoner was put into
the county jail booked as one Johnson.
The negro ciaims ne can prove an alibi,
saying he was put off a train at Glendora
at II o'clock last night and chased by a
constable, who fired a shot at him. This
is not considered to be in his favor. for ii
is said that coiored man that place
tried TO abduct a girl at about the hour he
names and it was possible for the same
man 10 have made both attempts.
Abou. three weeks ago a negro entered
a house at Glendora and entered the bed
room of a young woman, but took fight
upon being discovered by a younger child
OF the family. The GIendora consta BILE
and others will arrive tomorrow to iden-
tify the prisoner.