Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-07-14
A DastardIy crime.

| terrible outrage was attempted on Mon
day near Charlottesville, when Miss Julia
Hotopp daughter of the late VIM. Hotopp,
the gate of Pen Park
Pen Park is situated about ~ miles east
OF Charlottesville, and is approached by
the Earlysville road. Just beyond COch-
rams Mill the road turns to the right through
a body of woods, perhaps half mile wide.
to the gate of the farm, which is a quarter
of mile from the residence. The point is
quite secluded and was we'll chosen for the
commission of the deed, as the probability
of being was very much lessened.
The particulars, as learned from the young
| lady herself, are about as follows:
She came to the city between 8 and 9
O'Clock that morning to have her riding
horse shOd. On her return she found the
gate, which is usually fastened by latch,
securely bound with wire. Surprised at
this, she looked around for the farm hands.
supposing there must be some good cause
for fastening the gate thus, but seeing no
one she dismounted and unloosed the gate
herself. AS she turned to remount, someone
approached her from behind and struck
her, and then grasped her by her neck,
forcing her to the ground, when she became
unconscious.
\ When she returned to consciousness. about
10 o'clock, she looked around but saw no
one, and her horse had gone on to the house.
several hundred yards further on. The
horse returning without the rider startled
her brother, Mr.. Carl Hotopp, who hasten
ed towards the gate, meeting his sister COM
ing. Upon meeting her brother she swoon-
ed again.
After arriving at the house she agrin re-
turned to consciousness and told what had
befallen her. She described her assailant
as very black man, heavy set. slight must
ache, wore dark clothes, and his toes were
sticking out of his shoes.
After making this relation Miss Hotopp
again became unconscious, and was still in
that condition, attended by several physi-
clans, at last accounts.
About noon a negro named John Henry
James was arrested in Dudley's bar-rOom
as answering somewhat the description of
Miss Hotopp's assailant. He was taken to
Jail to await further Developments.
1t is said that the young lady resisted the
fellow to the extent Of scratching his neck
so violently as to leaves particles OF flesh
under her fnger-nail and so effective was
the resistance that he failed of accomplish
ing his foul purpose. She was sure she
could identify the man.
The man arrested was brought to Staunton
by the Chief Of police of Charlottesville on
Monday night to avoid lynching great
crowd had assembled with this intent, but
by clever ruse the mob was avoided. A
special grand jury has been summoned, and
the case will be tried at once.
LYNCHED.
The officers who had brought the negro
over to Staunton started to take him back
to Charlottesville on Tuesday morning on
the local. When they reached Woods cross
ing. three miles west of Charlottesville the
train was tagged and boarded by an I'M
masked mob and the man taken therefrom
and hanged to tree near by, and his body
perforated with. it is said, seventy-five bull
lets. 1t is stated that the officers were
warned of their danger, and that they were
asked not to 60 on the local, but take the
fast train which does not stop between
Basic and Charlottesville. So certain were
some of our citizens that the man would |
be lynched that several of them boarded the
train to see the hanging. The negro is said |
to have confessed at first, but when about |
to be hung denied his guilt. He was given |
twenty minutes in which to pray. The
W., Il evil To-
at the time and we learn that the man had
been fully identified by the lady. at least |
the grand jury were convinced of the fact.
1t is claimed that the people of Albemarle |
approve the lynching as it saved the young |
lady the ordeal of the witness stand in the
open court.