Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-02-09
A GRAVE OFFENsE.

On w eQneSQdy our clty Wdo ooho
what startled by the news that very
grave Offense had been committed
here, the facts of which began to be
understood when Miss Jessie B. Rod
gers, young woman from Highland
county, went before Police Justice w.
H. Landes and swore out a warrant
for the arrest of John T. Todd, charg-
ing him with crime, which, if true,
constitutes felony and under the
laws of Virginia is punishable with
Imprisonment in the penitentiary for
not less than three years.
The facts as stated by Miss Rodgers
are substantially as follows: That she
lives in Highland county. where she
was born, and that she came to Angus
ia some time ago seeking employ ment
as domestic, but did hot find it, so
went to visit relatives at Stuart s
Draft. in this county. and her visit be-
ing ended she returned on Monday to
Staunton and went to the Highland
House to spend the night so as to take
the hack for Mcdowell, which leaves
early in the morning; that she met on
the street Mr.. Todd, whom she really
did not know except by sight, but
whom she believed she had been intro
duced to in one of the stores in the
city last summer; that when she pass
ed him on the street he spoke to her,
but it was simply to bow and raise his
hat. That evening, after supper, a
telephone message came to the High
land House from him to her, to the
effect that he had a sister here who at
present is quite sick. and asked if she
would not stay over and go and nurse
her for ten days or 80, until, at least,
she recovered. This, Miss Rodgers
consented to do, and Todd said be
would call for her later and take her to
his sisters house, and that she waited
for him ready to 60, when he came.
She knew quite we'll Todd's people,
who lived in Highland on Shaw's
Fork, but had, as she stated, really no
with him. He called
later and she went with him, and he
her to house in strange
part of the city to her. When he got
to the house be told her that this was
not bis sisters house, but his own
house and he took her into room and
told her that he had arranged for her
to spend a week there with him.
which she must do, and locked the
door. He offered her money and made
indescent proposals to her, and tried to
ietain her. No sooner, however, did
she realize the situation than she be-
san to scream for help as loud as pos
,ible and to try and fly from the room.
At last he told her that if she would |
Jay nothing about it he would take
ler back to the Highland House, and
his being, as she thought, her only
means of escape she agreed to say
lothing and he took her back to the
Highland House and left her there
ext morning she swore out the war
ant, but Todd in the meantime had
led and his whereabouts is not known
Todd has been a barkeeper here for
ome years, and he is man about 80
7ears old with smooth round face
,leanly shayen, little bald, grey eyes
ind light hair, about foot 2 inches
;all, and is we'll dressed, wears large
watch chain and large seal ring on
MS third left hand finger.
Miss Rodgers is poor but her fami-
y is respectable and she herself has
,orne that reputation. The house to
which he took her proved to be house
,f bad repute in disreputable quail
er of the town, and inquiry there
,licited the fact that matters there had |
occurred as the girl had stated.
The affair caused general sensa-
ion, and every effort will be made to
procure Todd 3 arrest.