Evening star., 1900-02-21
William Howard, Colored, Charged
With Fiendish Crime.
STORY OF his ALLEGED VICTIM
A Young White Woman Assaulted
in the County.
LOOKING FOR THE MAN
Evening Star Bureau.
No. T01 King ST..
BELL Tplenhnna No 1ns

| 4ND. tb1 hlnS
] Bell Telephone No LOG.
| ALEXANDRIA. Va, February 21, 1900.
A young man named Kitson. living neal
| Anandale and Springfield station, on the
! Southern railroad. in Fairfax county. ap-
| peared at police headquarters this morning
| and reported that his sister. Miss Emma
| k1tson, who resided with him, had beer
| outraged by a colored man named William
| Howard According to the story unfolded
| by 'hitsCn, the negro had been employed by
| the family as laborer off and on for seven
| or eight years, and had suddenly disappear
| ed at late hour last night. This morning
| kitson stated. his sister notified the family
of her unfortunate condition and charged
Howard with criminal assault Efforts
were Immediately made to discover the col
! ored man. but he was not to be found He
| is described as being eighteen or twenty
years of age. five feet seven inches high
of stout build and brown skin wearing a
blue faded coat and black hat A small
scar on the side of his face was also given
as mark of identification. The authorities
in Fairfax have been notified and every eff
fort is being put forth to capture the negro.
Reported to Washington Police.
Noah and Samuel Kitson, brothers of the
young lady, called at police headquarters
spector Boardman to have the police as
sist them in the matter of apprehending
Howard. According to their complaint the
crime was committed on the road not far
from the kitson house.
Because of the alleged threats made by
Howard the young woman was afraid to
make complaint of the mans conduct until
late last night. when she went to her
brother Samuels room and related to him
the story of her sad experience. Howard,
Inspector BOardman was told. became sus-
picious last night and disappeared from
that section of the country.
Miss kitsOn's Story.
Miss Kitson Is twenty-four years old
She lives at home with her parents and
brothers. who conduct a truck garden
Last Thursday the young woman was left
at home with a young niece and nephew
as her only companions. During the after
noon she accompanied them to their home,
which was her brother Noah'S less than a
mile away. When she went from the house
she saw the colored man, but paid no at
tention to him as he had been ernploved
about the neighborhood of her home since
he was a small boy. During recent years
he worked for the KitSons during the sum-
mer and in cold weather he usually man.
aged TO get employment on the Southern
railway near Springfield station. Knowing
the colored man so well, Miss kitson went
along the road without giving him second
thought She went to the house of her
brother and when she had seen the chill
dren safely home she started back to her
own home.
In order to reach her home she had to
pass over lonely road, but she had passed
over it so many times that it was the same
10 her as being on a street in city SO far
as being afraid was concerned. When but
short distance from home, she alleged.
the colored man appeared and made a
proposal TO her which she resented. Then
it is charged. he grabbed the woman.
dragged her in the woods short distance
from the road and assaulted her. 1t was
useless for the young woman to make an
outcry as she was too far from a house to
be heard and all she could do was to
struggle with her assailant. This she did.
but he overpowered her and succeeded in
his purpose.
Threatened to Kill Her.
Don't you ever tell what happened to-
day" he told his victim after he had as
saulted her. IF you do I'll kill you and
your whole family and burn down the
house"
Thoroughly frightened Miss Kitson went
home. and when she reached the house
she found that other members of the
family had returned during her absence.
Some of them We're at market and the
others were away at work. She thought
over the affair. and, remembering the
threats that had been made she became
even more frightened. Thoughts of the re-
turn of the colored man and killing her
parents troubled her so much that she was
afraid to mention the affair. Almost a
week passed and the affair was kept a
secret through fear. William Howard re-
manned about the kitson place. as we'll as
in the neighborhood of Spring field the near
est station on the Southern railway. His
presence there gave his alleged victim an
idea that he was d desperate man and she
feared more and more as the time passed
that he would do other harm to the fam
lily. Finally, size concluded to tell her
brother. and this she did late last night.
Inspector Boardman Acts
Inspector Boardnran took the description
furnished and had it telephoned to all the
stations. The Georgetown and South Wash
ington precincts We're asked to pay special
attention to the case. it was thought
that Howard might cross one Of the bridges
in order to get in the District. The watch
man al the Chain bridge was also notified
to lookout for the man wanted.
Miss Kitson's brothers. who called at po-
lice headquarters today, We're extremely
anxious to have the police apprehend How
ard While they do not fear that he will
kill any members OF the family or burn
the house they feel apprehensive about him
as long as ne is at large.