The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-24

DiOOu-uOuuuS dlAA'NN ~ AN|~@N'o
Sam on the special train from Whining
ton at $40. They left Wilmington at
Il O'Clock.
STORY OF A CRIME.
Rockingham, n. c., Oct. 23.-(Spe-
csal.)-Frank l.. Cole is respectable
man of good family, a blacksmith and
WAGON maker by trade, who was born
and raised in this county and who has
lived in this town for many years. lie
IS in moderate circumstances and has Il
large family. His home is just below the
aostoffice. Several of his children work
IN the Peedee Cotton Mill, which is
about a half mile from his home This
morning three of his daughters, Miss
lilly J., aged about q years, accom-
panied by her two younger sisters, left
their fathers home about $50 o'clock
to go to their work at the mill. As is
their custom, they went by way of
short cut, through a small wood back of
the residence of Capt. w. /. Everett.
At the edge OF the wood there is wire
fence, and in a panel of this fence the
wires have been broken from the posts,
leaving an opening through which peo-
pie could step by means of slightly
STOPPING This path through the woods
Is used generally by people in that part
Of the town. The younger girls had
oassed through the fence, and as one
OF them got on the other side she saw
O man erouching down by the side of
the fence She attempted to notify her
sister, Miss Lilly, but failed to attract
her attention on account, as is supposed,
of Miss Lilly being troubled with a slight
deafness. AS Miss Lilly stopped to pass
through the opening in the fence, the
man sprang at her and caught her by
she throat and choked her to the
ground. The two little girls began to
scream, and ran to the house Of Mr..
Skies, some seventy-five yards from the
scene Of the outrage. They woke up Mr..
Skies, and as soon as he could under
stand what was the matter, he and some
ueighbers FASTENED to where Miss Lilly
was. When they got there, she was
leaning against the fence, out Of breath.
almost exhausted, and in dazed condi-
tion. Her clothing was torn and her un-
iercIothes pulled off and some Of them
lying in shreds on the ground with blood
upon them. The ground bore evidences
of q severe struggle. Miss Lilly's neck
was swollen and bore the marks OF
fingers and was scratched and bloody.
Her head and face were badly bruised
and beaten. The iendish and detesta-
BILE brute, after throwing her to the
ground, continued to choke her, and
beat her on the head and face until she
almost lost consciousness. Notwith-
standing the choking and beating she
fought madly to preserve her chastity.
In spite of her agonizing struggle, this
eluman hyena partially accomplished his
deYilish purpose.
When Mr.. Skies and his neighbors got
TO the scene OF the outrage the villain
had made his escape. This community
was at once aroused with indignation
and filed with desire for vengeance.
Ihe people were SIedtly cASi'eo' ~
searching parties Immediately were Or
panized, and the work of securing the
lace of the earth in the hunt for this
animal was begun, and has been kept
az unremittingly ever since. The fiend
who committed this rape is described as
o. negro of ginger-cake color, or lighter,
not a mulatto, however, Of rather above
the medium height, with a moustache.
afns@ la~ clio MOI and
1he time Of the commission Of the crime
a pair of blue overalls.
A yellow negro, Rich Leak, was ar
rested, as answering somewhat to the
description of this devil, as was also
Charley Allen, another dark mulatto,
and also a strange negro, whose name
was not learned, and all three were car
ried, at different times to Mr.. Coles
residence, but were released upon the
evidence of the witnesses that they were
mt the puilty party.