The Conway log cabin., 1901-03-19
ASSAULT ON THE CHARTERS.
Terrible Experience for the Fam fly Near Conway, and Worse
 Future for the Negro.

visited the scene Wednesday and we use it by his permission)
 Today 1 visited William Char ter, at Preston, and went over the scene of what came near being ripple murder Monday night l was taken to Miss Grace Charter s room, which presented a ghastly spectacle and evidences of the ter rible struggles. Carpets, rugs, curtains and walls were bespat- tered with blood. The fragments of a heavy bowl and pitcher lit tered the floor, all covered with blood. Going to the library, l found Mr. Charter and Misses Grace and Roseline, all with ban daged heads, Mir. Charter with one arm i'll sling from two severe stabs through the muscles. Miss Grace lay upon couch, very weak from loss of blood and the terrible nervous shock. She talked very low, closing her eyes at short intervals as though shutting out the vision of the horrible expert ence.
 She said she had seen the negro at the postoffice during the after noon and had met him while on her way home and he leered at her in an impudent manner. She had retired early, leaving a lighted lamp on the dresser for her sister, who roomed with her. She had been asleep but a short time when a passing train aroused her. She opened her eyes and there, before the dresser mirror, stood the black brute toying with the bric-abrac For a moment 1t seemed a horrible dream and she shuddered. The negro heard her and, turning, he held the lamp above his head. She thought he was going to throw it and she screamed. The negro immediately blew the lamp out and leaped toward the bed. She dragged the covers up over her head, and when she felt him clutch them she slipped out on the oppo- site side. Her screams had attract ed the family to her room. Mrs. Charter carried lamp, and when the negro heard them coming he wrenched the heavy decorative urn from the stove and struck Mr. Charter over the head, felling him to the floor. He then ran back in Miss Grace's room, seized heavy washbowl and brought it down up on her head, siivering 1t to bits and knocking her backwards over the foot ot her bed. Like tiger he bounded into the hall again, armed this time with the cap of the stove. He raised 1t to strike Mrs. Charter when Miss Roseline struck him i'll the face and 1t flew from his hand. He then ran into an adjoining room, grabbed water pitcher and smashed 1t over Miss Roseline's head. He then attacked Mir. Charter with long bladed knife, stabbing him twice through the left arm on a line with the heart. He fought like demon until assistance reached the top of the stairs, then escaped, no one knows how.
 A mule was stolen from near by stable and the next morning re- turned, laid down and died from being overridden. On little farm nine miles from Preston horse, some clothing and revolver were stolen the same night, and 1t IS thought the brute rode the mule to that place, stole the horse and rode on.
 Several parties are securing the country; he will, it is believed, be apprehended and if he is, swift, ter rible punishment will be meted out to him.
 Unless complications set up MT. Charter and Misses Grace and Roseline will recover from their wounds.
 R. C. Dickerson arrested ne gro at Morrilton Thursday suspect pected of committing the crime at Preston and he was identified by Henry Anderson, a negro boy that lives at Preston and was with the
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