The times., 1899-10-14
ASSAULTED BY NEGROES.
Two Bfcycitsiz Roughly Handled by
Unknown RuGians.


About 8 O'Clock last night on North
Capitol Street. between Michigan Avenue
and Everett Street, two unknown negroes
made an assault upon a couple of bicy-
clists, Charles r. Shelton, a printer in the
Government Printing Office, and Miss Gus
sic Beha, of H Street northwest. They
went out riding and intended going to the
Soldiers Home, but Miss Beha complained
of fatigue and they sat down a short dis
tance from the roadside. They had been
there but short time when two negroes
crept noiselessly from the bushes and
sprang upon the unsuspecting victims One
| or the negroes roughly seized the woman.
while the other struck Shelton hard blow
in the eye with his fist. The blow was
SO hard that Shelton was for an instant
completely stunned, but with an effort he
collected himself for a desperate effort in
aid of Miss Beha. Shelton regained his
feet, but was Immediately struck behind
the ear with a large stone and for the sec
ond time lay on the ground almost uncon-
scious.
In the mean time Miss Beha, who had
been seized by the other negro, was rough
iy dragged into the bushes. Here, her
captor becoming frightened at the sounds
OF the struggle between his accomplice and
Shelton, for moment forgot about his
CdpllfG anu lOOSen6Q HIS uOtu upOu nCi.
Miss Beha Immediately grasped the oppor-
tunity of escape thus offered and ran for
the street. She was chased for short
distance by both of the negroes. She out
ran them and they disappeared.
Shelton, upon finding himself alone and
not knowing what had become of Miss
Beha, started out to secure help. He
reached the house of Brooke Amiss, 2106
First Street, where he hastily told the
I CT ~ -. .xz.- @Nl-
Shelton to the Eighth precinct station
house, where the facts of the case were
told Sergeant Eliot, who Immediately or
dered out the police reserve. Lieutenant
Kenney was then notified and he appeared
at the stationhouse in time to take charge
of the reserves. Up to a late hour last
| night no report was made by the reserves,
who were still searching for the negroes.
AT the stationhouse Shelton who is deaf,
wrote the following statement when ques-
toned about the affair:
I'VE were sitting down talking, when
| two negroes slipped up behind US. We
! jumped up, and / tried to grab hold of one
of them, when he struck me and knocked
/ me down. When / crawled to my feet
| again l saw the lady being dragged into the
| bushes Just then / was struck again. /
have had nothing stolen from me- / think
that the fighting frightened the negroes.
ana they were AFRAID 10 stop anu examine
my pockets"
| According to the description given by
| Shelton the negroes were both about five
| feet six inches tall, and weigh about one
| hundred and sixty pounds.
| Times reporter visited Miss Beha at
her home, but the lady was too nervous to
| give many details of the affair. She stated
that after she broke loose from her captor
she does not remember single incident
until she reached her home. Miss Beha
keeps boarding house, and for several
years has had her mother to support.
Both she and her mother were so excited
over the incident that they could not talk
for any length of time on the subject.
| Miss Beha stated to the police that she was
so excited through the whole affair that
! she does not think that she would be able
to recognize either Of the negroes were she
| to see them again.