The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-26
, HORRIBLE cRIaE.
Wayne stirred by A~~aulf of n Ne
ing.
(Special 10 The Messenger.)

Goldsboro. N c.. August g
Tom Jones. h lend in human flesh
whose crime is as black as mis- skin, is
being hunted by hundreds of people in
the lower section of TIE county today.
but I'D TO this time he is still at large
and seems to have made good his es-
cape. The nameless crime OF which he
is charged was committed or the per-
son OF Mrs. VIII Smith at her home i'm
Indian Springs township yesterday at
ternoon about s o'clock. and she is lying
On a bed today in her u~npretentious
home in an unconscious condition, her
throat bearing the imprint OF the
wretch's fingers and her usual fair face
as black as the skin on the devtlish
hands that grasped ne- slender neck
Numbers OF people have gene to this
humble home TO look on the disfigured
countenance OF the victim OF the dark
devil Tom Jones. Throughout the one
ly watches of the night sentInels were
stationed along every path and public
road in that section to prevent The es-
cape OF the negro. but up TO this time
he is still at large and the horrible deed
is still ~unavenged.
The husband OF the woman who is the
object OF sympathy and solicitude on
the part OF every white person who has
heard OF the s~orrowful story, left his
wife yesterday morning In cheerful
spirits and went to town with a o
of tobacco. little thinking that he would
return TO find the object OF his affections
almost on the verge OF eternity, and her
fair countenance d~isfigdred with the
foul clutches Of n black negro. Such
was the scene that greeted him upon
his return from town with trlnket FOR
wife and babies. During his absence
about 6 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
while the faithful wife was preparing
the evening meal and looking for the
return OF her husband. there appeared
at the kitchin door a big burly black
negro, who mad improper proposals
which were promptly refused with the
contempt they deserve. The brute
forced his way into the house and pull
ed Mrs. Smith out Of the door by force.
Then he dragged her across the yard
and over the fence TO 4 c.ump or bushes
across the plantation path. where he
came near committing murder by graf
flying his beastly desire. There was no
one in the house but two small children,
who seeing the negro dragging their
mother across the yard and hearing her
pitiful cries for mercy, fled from the
house and ran across me field TO the
home of a Deighbor, where they told as
best they could what had occurred.
Help came too late. The negro mad
left his victim on the spot where he
dragged her unconscious and disfgured-
The news soon spread and people began
early in the evening 20 flock 10 the
scene.
Sheriff Scott received a telegram
about 10 o'clock. last night asking him
20 go and carry bloodhounds. He did
not have the dogs, but he went himself
and joined the search for the negro.
He came back this morning and said
the people were aroused and they were
securing the woods. IL the negro Is
caught there is no uncertainty about the
fate which will overtake him. In com
ing home the sheriff said he passed a
number of ladies on the public road
who had left their homes and gone in
search of the negro.