Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-08-26

SENT ON TO THE GRAND JURY.-A
large crowd gathered at the station
house this morning for the purpcss OF
witnessing the examination OF Wits
Petty, charged With attempting 10 as
ssuIt Mrs. Roberta Payne on Thursday
night last. II had been announced that
the prisoner would be placed in the
; dock 10 the Police Court ct niue O'Clock,
and long before that hour men and
bows b, gan to force their way behind
the bar 10 the court room. By the time
the Mayor assembled the judgment seat
the enclosure was 6ensely packed and
the atmosphere very foul. Many peo-
plea large percentage boys--were
lined up in the shade OF the Braddock
House, 90 the opposite side OF the street,
anxious to get glimpse Of the prisoner,
all supposisg him to be in the station
house. Several persons we're positive
they saw him enter the building in Gus
tody of the officers aD nour or so
earlier. Petty, ho3ever, was not
there, nor had he been there. The
crowd stood packed as closely as cord
wood until the usual tedious Mondsy
morning docket was disposed OF. The
prisoners were mostly negroes and
drunken aod disorderly conduct COM
posed most OF the charges. Eventually
the case of Petty WAS reached. To the
sore disappointment of the assemblsge,
Mayor Simpson announced that the ac-
cused had waived an examin ,tion
and he would recognize the wit.
nesses QncludiDg two women and
send the case on to the grand jury.
The announcement that court Yves over
followed simultaneously and the au-
dience slowly made their way 10 the
street and mingled with the crowd
without. 1t was still believed Petty
was 10 one OF the cells, aud the Assem-.
blsge blocked the pavement In front OF
the station house as we'll as that on
she opposite side vi the street. There
were no demonstrations, however, aud
good order was observed. 10 about
half an hours time it became eviden.
that nothing exciting was TO be wit
Hes: ed and that Petty was nowhere In
the neighborhood hence the crowd be-
gan to diminish and finally all reluc-
tantly turned away. The query,
Where is Petty? was heard every
where. Some positively averred they
saw him enter the station house. Others
were equally certain they saw him with
officers on the pike coming toward THE
city. A few we're sure he had been in
a cell in the work house since he was
taken from this city. Several knew be
was in the new county court house,
while the greater number with more
indications of oorrectness-located him
10 the Jail ct Fairfax Courthouse. From
all that could DO learned, it seems that
a wagon left here about one o'clock this
mOrniog in charge of squad OF officers.
About four or five hours later 1t APP
psared on the outskirts OF the city
(some say at the slms houss) with the
prisoner. Mrs. Payne had in the mean
time been placed 10 hack and driven
to the Same place. Petty was con-
ironted by Mrs. Payne who fully identi-
fed him as her assailant. DIR. Kit.
enour's statement was also taken, after
which the accused protested bis inno-
cence and waived an examination.
Mrs. PAYNE was subsequently driven to
her home in this city aud the prisoner
was returned to the lace from whence
he came. Judge Norton, OF the Cor.
poration Court, will call a special
grand jury and give Petty a speedy
trisl. The prisoner has not, as yet,
secured no council.