The times., 1897-07-12
A RAPE FIEHD ARRESTED
Thought to Be the Nan Who
AsSailed Mrs. Woody.
ATTACKED TWO NEGRO GIRLS
Samuel Clemens, Burly Young
Negro, Bold Attempt at Felonious
Answers the Desc RIP
tion OF Mrs. Woody's Assniiant.
VIII Attempt TO Identify Him.

The residents OF Rosslyn were thrown
into state of feverish excitement at noon
yesterday over the attempted assault BY
Richard Clemens, colcred, on Ophelia
Watson and Beche Woodward, two 9ol-
orea girls Clemens was arrested 5y Cob
s4Yable ] W. Gaines and is thought 10 be the
1nau who attempted an assault on Mrs.
Woody, near Dead Mans Hollow, about
GX weeks ago.
CIeu4ns answers to the description given
by Mrs Woody of the man who made at
teniuu upon her one Of the pecuharitses
OF the man IN the Woody assault case a'as
a certain affection or blinking Of the
Ief. eve It is said that Clemens has d SIM
liar affecrion of the eye
Mrs Woody was notified uf this great
similarity in the descriptions OF the t|o
men, and she wilt go to Alexandria, where
Clemens has been taken, Tuesday, TO
look at the accused man.
The attempted outrage yesterday was
made within radius Of about one hun
drcd feet of the embanknent over Dead
Man's Hollow, where the Woody attempt
was made. The two girls, each about
Row northwest, went across the river
early in tine morning to pick blackherries
among the Virginia hills. At about nooa
they were acoosted 3y Clemens, a tall,
burlv looking negro, who made several
immoral requests Of them. Hs requests
being refused he demanded that they
should do as he should direct, and this
the girls also refused, ~ herelPoi' he StTucR
tie watson girl on the head twice, knocked
her down, and attempted to draw ner Into
the neiehboring thickets- With the as
siStarce cf the Woodward girl she sue
ceeded in effecting an escape before the
purposes of the culprit could be accom-
plished.
Constable white who was at the south
end OF the Aqueduct Bridge at the time,
was notified Soon afterward Clemens
was seen coming down the Falls Church
road, journeying toward the city at
lively pace Constable Gaines went toward
him, and then the accused man beat a
retreat. He ran up the road several hun
dred yards and entered the house Of Con
stable Gaines, although he was unaware
Of this fact I the time. TIE conSta bic,
rather large and portiy man, fastened
after him, and met him Just as he was
coming ont Of the house. He attempted
10 arrest Clemens. Clemens resisted, and
aroused the entire neighborhood with lbs
load and boisteTous language.
During the sCuffIe the constable f@iIed
| the man to the ground twice with his
| club, and with the assistance Of his assist
| ant, Grant Martin took him across the
| street to the office OF Justice Sellers, who
fined him $40 and costs or thirty da vs. in
| the Alexandria jail. In default OF the pay
meut of the fine Constable Gaines started
| TO Alexandria with the prisoner. When the
station Of the Alexandria Electric Railroad
Company was reached he again became in
| fuTiated, and il was only with the great
| est difficulty that he was placed IN the
| cars. When Alexandria was reached the
| new that n man was being brought TO
| the town charged with attempting TO com
! nit a felouious assault soon spread among
the negro residents OF the place and as a
| result nearly seventy-five persons had as
seFnbIed at the jail 10 see the prisoner
| brought there by the constable.
| Clemens is aged about twenty-five years.
| possibly twenty-five years, ami besides
| being possessed OF giants strength is
| a desperate character. He has been ar
rested and sent TO the workhouSc many
times by the officers OF No. 3 precinct for
| his disorderly conduct.