Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-25
Police Arrest Two Men Charged With
Criminal Assault.
THE PRISONERS ENTER 4 DENIAL
Modification of the Plan for City
Improvements.
GENERAL AND PERSONAL
Evening Star Bureau.
No. 701 King Street.
Bell Telenhnne No. LOG.

Chief of Police Webster from Constable
Willingham OF Remington, Fauquier county,
Va, shortly before o'clock this morning.
Lieutenant Smith went into Fairfax county
and captured two white men, William Mills
and Robert Stribling who are wanted by
the Fauquier county authorities on serious
charges. No specific allegation was men,
toned in the telegram, but the men state
that they are accused of raping a colored
woman named Winnie Tate, aged about
twenty-three years.
Inside of an hour after receiving the
message Lieutenant Smith had his men
behind bars. They were overtaken on the
Telegraph road in West End. near the toll
gate, and surrendered without offering any
resistance. In making the arrest. Leuten-
ant smith was accompanied by young
man, who was acting flagman on the
morning train on which the two men
reached this vicinity
Mills and Stribling. it is said boarded the
southern railroad train No. Is. at Elkwood
few miles south of Remington
They left the train at Seminary crossing
just below this city, and information Sc
cured from the conductor of No is en-
abled Lieutenant Smith to effect an easy
capture. When searched at the station
house large revolver was discovered on
the person of each prisoner. Captain Web
ster notified the Remington authorities of
the capture. but before turning them over
before him to answer the charge of car
rying concealed weapons.
Prisoners' Statement
When seen this morning by a Star re-
porter the men told story, which is, in
effect, as follows: According to Striking,
who acted as spokesman one evening about
ten days ago a party of four men, consist
ing of the two prisoners, James Willing
ham and Maston Mills, started to drive
around the country near Doddville, in Fau-
quer county, to have a large" time. They
proceeded to load up with hard cider and
called upon Winnie Tate, whom they took
driving with them, with the purpose, they
said, of bringing her to Alexandra. y row
in the party occurred and the prospective
journey was abandoned.
The prisoners disclaim any criminal con-
duct on their part but said they could not
answer for the subsequent action of their
companions who, they added, had not been
arrested. Mills and Stribling charged that
the colored woman was of lewd character.
The men further stated that the Tate wo-
man had appeared before a magistrate,
charging that each of the four men in
the party above mentioned had crimnally
assaulted her. This, they said incensed
the colored people in the neighborhood
that the lives of the accused men We're in
danger. Upon hearing last night that a
large party of colored men had surrounded
Mills house, bent on lynching him, Strib-
ling and his companion secreted themselves
and this morning made off. The prisoners
will probably be conveyed back to Reming-
ton this afternoon.
Street Improvement scheme.
The special committee appointed by the
Business Mems League to select and rec
ommend to council a scheme for extensive
street improvements met again last even
ing for the fourth time this week. Mr.. E.
E. Downham occupied the chair, and
Messrs. NJ B. Harlow, Clarence c. Lead
beater, Charles King and Isaac Eichburg
were in attendance
City Engineer w. B. Corse, which, as stat
ed in The Star. had been decided upon at
the meeting Wednesday night, were first
taken UP. Mr.. Corse was present, giving
his consent to several changes and amend
ments favored by the committee. The
scheme finally approved. and which the
therefore be materially different in many
important points from the original.
The following is a sketch of the plans
decided upon last night: Washington street
is to be provided with solid macadam
driveway. fifteen feet in width, on each
side of the street. The sidewalks are to
remain as they are, eighteen feet in width.
and the residue of the space, which occu-
pies the center of the street. is to be given
to parking from Montgomery street on the
north to Franklin street south. The plan
carries provision that whenever the city
council shall deem 1t necessary to extend
is the same width as Washington street
one hundred feet, the same scheme shall be
followed
For the streets between Queen and
Prince streets. running east from Fairfax
to Union street, a pavement OF vitriied
brick and Belgian block is provided.
Roadwnys Reduced.
The roadways in the residue of the city
streets will be reduced according to the
plan, from forty-two to twenty-four feet
thereby allowing about nine feet for park
ing on each side next TO the residences
For King street the plan provides for
narrowing the sidewalk two feet on each
side, thereby widening the roadway by
four feet, and for paving the street be
tween Fairfax and West streets, with vitri-
fled brick The committee decided To urge
council to commence the proposed improve
ments by beginning with Washington street
and running north four squares to Oronoco
street
The plans finally decided upon last
night will shortly be submitted to Chair
man B. B. Smith of the council committee
on streets, with the request that The mat
ter be considered at the earliest opDortuni-
ty. In the event of its being Endorsed by
the street committee meeting of council
will be asked for and the members of the
business mems committee will appear to
urge The adoption of their plan
Before finishing the business in hand last
evening, Mr.. l.. T. Haney, county sur
Feyor or Alexandra county, who had SUBJ
mitted plan, was invited to appear he
fore the committee and make a further
presentation of his proposition Mr. Ha-
rey's work was highly complimented but
the final decision, as above stated was that
Mr. Corse's plan was best adapted to this
city.
Sesqui-CentenniaIN Notes.
The finance committee is receiving graft
flying contributions from friends of the
sesqui-centennial parade, among them one
of s25 from Capt. Joseph f. Willard of
Fairfax county. Seventy-five dollars was
contributed by three parties yesterday.
The chairmen of the various subcommit-
tees on parade are requested to meet DR.
Smith, chairman of the general parade
committee, at $50 o'clock tomorrow night
at the headquarters, corner of King and
Washington streets.
The finance committee requests that all
contributions be sent in as promptly as
possible. to enable it to make the
proper allotments of funds to the various
committees.
A dozen wagons have been secured for
floats by the committee in charge.
Ten business firms have signified their
intention of participating in the parade
with floats. Persons wishing places al
lotted to them will confer a favor by re-
porting to headquarters soon as posi-
BILE the number of floats they desire to use.