The times., 1898-10-24
TRIED TO WRECK A CAR.
Two ColOred Men Made Trouble Oh
"a Suburban Railroad.

SUBURBAN fta1iFOaus
Great excitement was caused in the vi
| cinity of Mulhall Station, Va, on the
| Washington and Falls Church electric
road, about o'clock Saturday evening,
| by fight which occurred on two cars on
that road in which two unknown colored
| men were identified.
The two colored men boarded a car at
the Virginia end of Aqueduct Bridge, go
ing towards Falls Church, about o'clock,
and when the car got about half mile
down the road they started a row with
| the conductor, Arthur Niles, and a num-
ber of passengers.
The men became obstreperous and start
ed free fight by striking at everybody in
| sight. The car was crowded with women
| and children and for a time there was
| panic. The two colored men, apparently
under the influence of liquor, fought des-
| perately when Conductor Niles and Mo-
| torman Miller attempted to put them off
| the car, assisted by several passengers,
and 1t was not until both of them had been
| beaten terribly about the head and shoul-
| ders that they were forced to retire. When
| they had been put off the car proceeded
without further trouble to the Falls
| Church end OF the route. About an hour
| from Falls Church. run by Motorman l..
r. Ball, with his brother, E. w. Ball, as
| conductor, reached Mulhall Station the
| motorman discovered n number of ties
| laid across the track, and before he could
| stop his car there was collision and the
| car was derailed. Just before the car
| struck the ties however. a huge stone
| was thrown from the roadway near by
| and struck the motorman full in the chest,
knocking him down in an unconscious
| condition.
Just as the car ran off the track several
of the passengers caught sight of two col
ored men running INTO the woods and II
| is believed that they were the same ones
| which caused the trouble on the car bound
| for Falls Church. The neighborhood was
| Immediately aroused and searching par
| ty OF about forty men, armed with rifles
and clubs, began a search of the woods
| for the culprits. The search developed
I nothing.
1t was reported TO the Georgetown po-
| lice station last night that the trouble was
resumed about sundown yesterday even
ing, when two deputy sheriffs attempted
to arrest two colored men near Rosslyn,
who were believed to be the train wreck
ers. II was stated that number OF
pistol shots were fired and the deputies
were overpowered and their revolvers
taken from them.
Later John Humble. a young colored
man. appeared AT the Georgetown police
station with a bullet wound in his hand.
He claimed to have been shot during the
fight with the law officers. Humble was
sent to the Georgetown University hospi-
tai for treatment.
Lee Gaskins. colored, who is believed to
be one of the men who engaged in the dis
turbance Saturday night is locked up at
Alexandria, charged with the serious Of
fense of train wrecking.
The Alexandria County authorities are
searching for Sandy James. colored. and
an unknown colored man. who are said
to be participants In the wrecking Of the
electric car of the Washington, Arlington
and Falls Church Railroad on Saturday
afternoon.
Gaskins was captured by Special Con-
stable J. F. Marcy at his home near Falls
Church. He was given a preliminary
hearing before Justice Hull. who commit
ted him to the Alexandria Jail in default
of 5000 bonds.
The crews of the Falls Church Electric
cars have experienced much difficulty
with ruffianly colored men along the line
of late. and a recent act of the County
Court was to commission all railroad men
as special constables, with the full power
to arrest.