Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-23
Dastardly Deed Of a Colored Man
Above Georgetown.
WIFE And MOTHER HIS VICTIM
Mrs. Hardys Experience While
Alone in Her Home.
RICH FOR RAVISHER

known negro. The scene of the crime was
at the home Of the victim, which is located
in the county back of University Park.
about a mile from the Loughborough road,
and about half mile from the Ridge road.
which furnishes roadway communication
to the house. The news Of the crime
spread soon after it had been committed,
and though the locality was thoroughly
searched by police and citizens armed with
guns and revolvers there was no trace OF
the man found.
Mrs. Hardy and her two children were
the only occupants Of the house at the
time of the assault. She had just returned
from the spring with several buckets OF
water, when she found her front door
open She spied the form of colored man
sitting in the room, and was so frightened
that she could not make an outcry. she
entered the house, and by threats the man
accomplished his purpose. and AFTER the
commission of the crime deliberately
searched the house for any money that
might be found.
Everything was favorable for the brute.
Besides the fact that there were no other
persons around the house, there was no
one within some distance About quarter
of mile away, in an afr line, crowd of
workingmen were engaged in making
streets The nearest house to the scene of
the assault was fully a half mile away, and
it was to this house that the woman sub
Sequently went. Some of the land in this
vicinity is in cultivation, while the remain
der s covered with thick underbrush and
small forests, which afforded excellent OPP
portunties for the escape of the assailant.
The house in which the crime was COM
mitted is a small frame structure, little
over a story and half high. In the main
portion there are two rooms on the HrSt
floor, while the same number of rooms oc-
cupied the second floor. To the west of the
house, separated by a large old-fashioned
brick chimney. small one-story additlon
is built, which is also used by the family
Mrs Hardy says she had risen about u
o'clock in the morning, and had prepared
bI eakfast for herself and children, FED the
chickens and performed various other du-
ties pertaining to her household before the
assault occurred. After the brute had left
she managed to escape from the house with
her baby on her arm and the other chlid
following. and by walking in roundabout
way through the woods reached the nome
of her nearest next-door neighbor, Mrs
Polly, which was located over half mile
away.
The Alarm Given.
One of the women in the Polly household
saw her come UP the path with her chill
dren, but did not recognize her at the
time. though the families were well ac-
quainted and frequently visited each other.
The face of the woman had so changed
from fear and from the shock OF the as
sault that she was not recognized In a
hollow and strange voice she told of the
commission of the assault, and without
waiting for anything further Mrs. Pony
took steps to send out an alarm H..
One of the women of the household
walked over to the country residence OF
Mr. c. C. Glover, which is fully mile dis
tant across country and much longer by
road, and there detailed the circumstances
as related by the victim. All of the hands
around Mr.. Glovers place Immediately
a q
telephone message was sent to DIR. Becker,
at TenleytOwn, to notify the county poIice-,
1t so happened that there were very few
men in the county at the time all of the
available force being in the city on detail
over the peace jubilee procession. Police
men Smith and Preston of the county
mounted force Immediately proceeded TO
the scene, and In very few moments later
Policeman Archambauft was found and
sent to the place. Word was received al
the Georgetown station by a few minutes
to 10 o'clock, and in the space of fifteen
minutes after ~ o'clock Policemen Berry
man, Trussel and Connors had reached
Tenleytown and were driven to the scene
OF the crime. Later in the day perhaps
1890 o'clock. Policeman Furr of the bicy-
Gle squad reached the scene.
Police Sent Out
As soon as the news reached police head
quarters Major Sylvester directed that a
squad of mounted men be sent to the coun-
l.
ed men We're all in full dress for the parade
but Major Sylvester directed that thew paw
no attention to previous orders As soon
as this order was given the mounted off
GERS removed their dress uniform as far "a
possible and galloped off in the direction of
the scene OF the crime. They were ordered
to scour the country and make every effort
TO apprehend the brute. Footmen in the
county received similar instructions and all
went in search of the one who had commit
a ma
ceiVed al headquarters described Mrs 'Har-
dy $ assaillant as being about thirty wears
oA DARK color and about five feet ten
inches tall. He is we'll built and has fnll
plump eyes. When he committed the
crime ne wore a black or dark coat and
pants, checkered shirt and blue cap. He
mas small side Whiskers. Detective Horne
VINO was at headquarters when the report
was received, was sent out to assist the
uniformed officers in the investigation
The police Joined in the search through
the surrounding locality, but no sign of the
negro was seen. There We're footprints sun
posed to nave been made by him, which in
dlcated that the negro was going into
Georgetown. This was all the clues that
could be furnished The outraged woman
remained at the home of Mrs. Polly, suffer
ing from the shock, being afraid to return
to her home
Two hours after the commission Of the
crime, IN company with policeman she
went back leaving her children In the
TREND 5 house, and made an examination of
her belongings to see IL the ravisher had
stolen anything of value. The woman had
left the house with the negro still in the
room, and when she returned with a police
man all of the bureau drawers were found
wide open, and the contents thoroughly
rfled.
A Star reporter reached the scene of the
crime just as Mrs Hardy returned for the
nrst time after the assault There were
only a few men in the locality and thew
were on the lookout for the brute Several
policemen were present, and all were arm
ed 1t would have been a serious thing for
the negro had he been captured. as the
civilians far outnumbered the police. and
there was more than one remark made
about lynching
The Victims Story,
From Mrs Hardy a complete and detail
ed story of the crime was secured. Though
somewhat dazed by the occurrence. and
quite nervous, she related the details of one
OF the most heinous crimes that has ever
been committed In the District, The story
OF Mrs. Hardy is as follows:
II had just returned from the snr,na
which is located down by the bushes thera
"a distance of perhaps 800 yards), and Wben
! came back saw that the door was omar
/ had left 1t closed. looked in and thera