Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-06-28
A HORRIBLE CRIME.
A NINE-YEAR-OLD CHILD
OUTRAGED BY AYOUNG
MAN OF EAST Ii {
INGTON.
THE VILLAIN CAPTURED.
Brought 10 Town Sunday Evening and
Placed in Jail-Guarded all Night
By Twenty Armed Guards
Prisoner Spirited Away
to- Lynchburg For
Safety.
THE VILLAIN CAPTURED.

Our community was thrown into
state of great excitement last Thursday
morning whom it became known that {
criminal assault had been committed
on Viola NJ. Williams, the nine-year-old
adopted child of Edward Williams s, q
farmer living about two miles from
East Lexington on North river just be-
| low the power house Of the Lexington
Electric Light Plant. The deed vas
committed Wednesday afternoon at
about 6 o'clock in q cluster Of woods
about mile below East Lexington.
Henry Taylor, son Of Ballard Taylor, Of
East Lexington, young unmarried
man, is accused Of the crime, and is
now in Jail at Lynchburg where he will
remain until the tliAl ID called.
FACTS IN TIE CASE.
The facts in the case are as follows:
The little girl was sent to the store at
East Lexington Wednesday afternoon
with q basket OF eggs. After complet-
ing her purchases she went to the post
office and started for home. Young
Taylor bought some candy and follow
ed. He was we'll known to the child,
as her adopted mother il his cou in.
Az the girl entered the woods he
caught her and committed the assault.
he was seen by some women OF the
ntighborhood, bu: was not recognized.
The child was painfully though not
seriously injured, On her return h me
Mrs. Williams saw that something un.
usual had occurred. At night when
MIR. Williams returned from his work,
the child complained Of the headache.
After supper be went to the Lexington
Electric Light power house to grind a
scythe. On his return by close ques-
sicning the girl told the whole horrible
story. 1t was then late at night, his
wife was i'll, he feared to walk the wire
suspension bridge across North river.
and he dared not pass Taylor's home,
these were the reasons for not report
ing the crime that night.
HIS ESCAPE.
Taylor LETT the girl after the deed
was committed, crossed the river, went
to the house Of q colored woman and
reported that he lad had fight With
Q man about his wife. He then lent
for a young man OF East Lexington
who took him in wagon out Of town.
Subsequent events indicate that he
spent the night near Timber Ridge.
Early Thursday morning he got on the
Ais Baltimore and Ohio train at Tim
Der Ridge and got of at Davis, q way
station, near Raphine. He was ac-
companisd by his brother George, who
returned home on the next train.
Williams reported the crime Thursday
morning at 10 o'clock and warrant
for Taylor's arrest was issued by-JuS-
tice ]. W. Lindsay. Policeman John
Spillan with the warrant boarded the
11:3O B. & o. train and started for
Davis, the trainmen having reported
that Taylor got off at that place. At
East Lexington George Taylor again
got on the train. Spillan was disguis-
ed and concealed from view. Taylor
got off at Davis and Spillan short
distance below. The former at once
went in the direction OF large body Of
woods, where he has relatives living.
Spillan kept a close lookout and was
later joined by Sheriff ThoS. A. sterrett
and q posse Of deputies who watched
and searched for Taylor all through
that country, but he could not be found
although many incidents indicated hil
presence there. Spillan returned tc
Lexington Saturday morning and ut
o'clock that evening party Of ab,ut
forty men left Lexington to hunt The
fugitive. They were joined By sevela
hundred others from various parts O
NRockbridgs and Augusta counties, an,
thus vas formed band of determined
men. In the crowd FROM the count,
we're SONS prepared for lynching. Tn,
excitement in the county was yer,
great and had the unfortunate mai
fallen into their hands he would hiv