Evening star., 1902-07-30
Alleged Murderer Being Pur-
sued With Bloodhounds.
TRAIL NEAR ASHBURN
BELIEF THAT THE FUGITIVE
WILL BE SOON CAUGHT.
Intense Excitement Among the Neigh
bors Of the Murdered Man
History of the Case.
special DISPATCH to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
LEESBURG. Va, July 30.-The chase af
ter the colored man, Charles Craven,
cused of the murder of William H. Wilson,
continues with the chances in favor of his
being caught In a few hours. The blood
hounds arrived from Suffolk about o'clock
this morning. but on account of the rain
could not be utilized until a new trail was
struck. This was found after lapse of
several hours spent in scouting the country,
and it seems Craven has again doubled on
his tracks and is making in the direction
of his old haunts below Leesburg. At last
reports the hounds had struck a trail near
Ashburn, and followed, by posse of 300
people, were running west.
Bloodhounds on the Trail.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
DRANESVILLE. Va, July 3O.-Detective
John ]. S. Branch. better known as "Hur-
ricane" Branch. arrived here via Washing
ton from Suffolk, Va, about 4 o'clock this
morning with his celebrated bloodhounds.
Tiger and John" after a long ride
through the rain. The hotel here was more
than filled all night with men who were
waiting for the arrival of the man hunters
AS soon as Detective Branch arrived the
horses were saddled and telephone mes
sages were sent to nearby places inviting
mounted men to participate in the chase.
defective Branch gave some interesting in
formation concerning what his dogs had
done, mentioning their work in the Nell
Cropsey case in North Carolina only a few
months ago. He made a special request of
the members of the posse
Please let me deliver the man to an Of
hcer, was his request. After that is
done you may do what YOU please I've
had one unpleasant experience of having a
man taken from me, and l don't want an
other"
Detective Branch feared the rain of last
night might interfere to some extent with
the capture of the fugitive If the dogs
get on his trail, he stated. there will be
no trouble. He realized that Craven who
Is charged with having committed the muir
der' mad all night to keep going, and could
nave reached a point many miles away al
though people who know him think this
by woods
1t was after 5 o'clock when the posse
left the hotel and went in the direction of
the place where the colored man was last
seen Should the dogs get on the mans
trail Detective Branch thinks he will can0
ture him before sundown
Arms in Great Demand.
Arms and ammunition were in greater
demand in the vicinity of Herndon Monday
than they had been at any time since the
CIVIL war Shotguns. rifles and reyoIyers
Were very much In evidence and the nun,
Der OF armed horsemen seen on the roads
reminded the Oldest inhabitants of the days
Theh Ihe Union army raided the country.
me man, young or DID, who was not
armed ready for battle with Charles Cra
ven, the colOred man accused of the cold
Moooed murder Of Mr.. William H. Wilson,
was the exception. Public santinont
throughout this section of the county as
all one way was
49, Craven was a bad nigger." many of
tne men were heard to remark. s.and tho
law is too good for him." So strong wss
the reeiing against him last night that a
nuiidred or more men remained on duty in
a,t ..ie raiil TO keep MIN confined to the woods
"nere ne was seen during the day
Sherln G. A. Gordon. with Deputies 6 1t
odCOoS ana D H Allen. have been dofnc,
sI Stelr pest 10 effect the capture of Craven
Sner1n Russell Of Loudoun county also en-
gagged IN the pursuit. having rendered bis
services. With most of the citizens tba
NE OF the accused man is a matter of Httis
ti tonsiderat1on' but the sheriff is anxious
tohlght TO land him in jail at the county
seat and TO hold him for trial So strone
Is tne Keeling against him. however. thai
the IRON bars at the Jail will probably moi
De able to stand the attack which is ainoSt
sure TO follow his Incarceration
Nr Wilson. the victim of the foul crinoa
was prominent and prosperous citizen OF
the county and was fifty-five years old He
mad previously lived in IoudOun coupt,
where he also enjoyed an excellent ren1ItS
ton and where he had a host of friends
MONDAY morning he had business in Hern
ootA' "tiicN IS Dut snort distance from,
Where he lived On his way home he had
10 drive past the house of the Crayens
Nearly four years ago he had sat upon a
jury when Charles Craven was tried for
arson He was accused of burning the
barn of Henry Smith. neal Sterling. in the
upper end of the county. Another man was
tried with Craven and given ten wears,
WhlIe the latter received a sentence of only
three years 1t happened that Mr.. Wilson
held out for a long sentence for Craven
but finally gave in and voted to give him
a term OF three years. What he intended
TO do 10 Mr.. Wilson when he had served
MS term Craven repeated to others and
his threat to commit murder included an
other man who voted him guilty of barn
burning.
Craven Makes a Threat.
III Kill these men if it takes me fifty
years to find them" he is reported to have
threatened.
Mr.. Wilson had heard of the threat made
against his life. it Is stated. but paid no
attention to it, for he thought Craven would
forget all about 1t when he returned home.
Craven had beer known as the bully" of
the county when he was not much more
than a boy, and 1t was believed his term
In prison would bring about a reformation.
Such does not seem to have been the case
however. for while he had been home from
the prison at Richmond only about six
weeks, ne had been in more than one diff
Guilty He was wanted by the Loudoun
county authorities for robbing a boy on the
PIKE near Leesburg, and had been In a row