The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-25
STILL TALK OF LYNCHING.
Continued Excitement in AleXan-
dria Over the Payne Assault.
Groups of Men on the Streets Discuss
Means of Reaching Fairfax Court
House MiIdcr Counsels Begin to
he Felt Throughout the City.

ALEXANDRIA, Va, Aug. A.-Ex-
element still runs. high in the case of
Willis Petty, who was arrested late last
Thursday night on the charge of attempt
ing criminal assault upon Mrs. Roberta
Payne, wife of John Payne, who resides
at 926 North Columbus Street. Today the
idea of lyuching Petty was more and more
pronounced. and from present indica-
tons Petty if it is left in the hands of
the hundreds of indignant citizens, will
not go before court or jury for trial,
but he will doubtless be lynched.
Mayor George L. Simpson this morning,
when in the Police Court. announced to
several newspaper men that Petty would
be brought to this city on Monday morn
ing and given a preliminary hearing. as
il is believed that Mrs. Payne will be able
to appear in court and testify against the
accused Mayor Simpson is non-com-
municatiye as to the whereabouts of
Petty The Times correspondent learned
late this afternoon, from what is supposed
to have been good authority, that Petty
Is confined in the Jail at Fairfax Court
House 1t is a well-known fact that there
are only three people in the city who
know where Petty is. and they are Mayor
Simpson, Policemen Beach and Smith
Neither of the policemen. of course, will
tell where they took the prisoner, as 1t is
d well-known fact that had the angry mob
last night known definitely that Petty
was at Fairfax he would undoubtedly
have been lyHched.
Tonight the streets again presented an
unusually animated appearance, there be-
ing hundreds of men and boys on the side
walks The crowd tonight seemed bent on
alt - lei
stration made They seem perfectly salts
fled that Petty is not in the city, but is at
Fairfax Court House. Many of the older
ones were in favor of going to Fairfax in
carriages and attempting to lynch Petty
All up and down King Street the men
were in groups of from six to twelve, dis
cussnS the advisa bility of going to Fair
fax, and many novel and unique methods
were suggested as to the best and quick
est way to reach that place. Many ap-
proved of hiring several large carriages
used for conveying picnic parties out of
the city, and some thought that the mob
should hold up the IL o'clock south-bound
freight over the Southern Road. On
the other hand some of the more con-
sentative ones were in favor of awaiting
the developments of Mondays preliminary
hearing, as they first desired to hear both
sides of the case instead of taking snap
favor of lynching the prisoner If there
was sufficient evidence elected at the
hearing to prove that Petty is guilty OF
the crime he is charged with. But tonight
they We're rather dubious about taxing
any definite action
A prominent Fairfax County citizen.
while in a King Street barber shop this
afternoon. stated positively that Petty
was in the Fairfax Court House jail, and
that excitement runs high at that place,
as many of the citizens have learned that
he is confined there. He stated that If Al
exandrians do not lynch Petty the people
of that county will probably do SO. if he
is confined there very long. The court
house is sixteen miles from this place, and
that seemed to be big drawback to the
crowd who were bent on going there.
1t Is said that if Petty is brought to
this city on Monday for preliminary
hearing and kept here over night he VIII
be lynched. 1t is stated on good author
ity that directly after the hearing he will
he again taken out of the city and con-
fined somewhere awaiting the action OF
the grand jury: that is, If his case is re-
ferred to the grand jury. If there is any
evidence against Petty to connect him
with the charge made by Mrs. Payne his
case will of course. be referred to that
jury.
AT a late hour tonight the idea of going
to Fairfax Court House was abandoned,
owing to the fact it is said. that a leader
could not be secured. Shortly after mid
night the mob gradually dispersed and
wendell their way hOmeward, and peace
and quietness once more reigned in the
old city.
Frederick w. Hohenstein said tonight
that the statement made by Willis Petty
yesterday afternoon to The Times cor
respondent to the effect that Mrs Payne
at first accused him of being the man who
assaulted her. was entirely false.