Sunday Washington globe., 1902-05-04

Assauh OhSe IN ONO, Wnefe the
Lady Overdid the Business, and
the Negro was Set Free.
North or South, we have never known
but one instance Of a negro charged with
rape by a white woman who ever estab-
lished his innocense before a jury. The
character of the white woman has neither
been factor nor bar to her creditability,
even when it has been impeached by coun-
sci for the negro. The one instance of
which we have personal knowledge was
tried before a Columbus, Ohio justice of
the peace, whose Office adioined the news
paper we were publishing Squire or, as
he was more familiarly if not affectionately
called, Daddy" Oleuhausen, was a Ger
man American gentleman of fine literary
attaiumeuts and a profound ignorance Of
law That is to say, he was a man of COM
mon sense and Of superior understanding
The case we refer 20 was that of a young
German girl, a servant in a large boarding
house where the mulatto was employed.
She testified to the commission of the crime
in the basement of the boarding house,
where she had gone on an errand with
lighted lamp. The case seemed clear
enough and the negro was about to be
bound over to the grand jury, the FIRST stage
of hisroute to the penitentiary but we hap
pened to be present on visit to our friend
Daddy" aud as the negro was unde-
Tended, we asked and obtained his consent
10 ask the young girl few questions. Her
face was familiar and we recalled that
while acting as adjutant general of Camp
Neil during the great reunion), she was
broughC before us with a colored man for
violation of the rules of the camp"
what did you do with the lighted lamp2"
was the first question asked.
He took it out Of my hand and set it
down, she promptly replied
Did he extinguish it2'
NO"
After the assault did you take up the
lamp"
Yes"
Did you scream or call for helpe"
mo use; nobody could hear me"
Passing from this particular assault we
veutured to ask
Were you not ordered out of Camp Neil
with this man six months ago."
Yes"
"What'was the cause of your expulsion"
''Well-he threw me down near the feuce
and"
"wellp"
He assaulted me"
Now please tell the magistrate how many
more times this villaiuous negro assaulted
you?"
Thus encouraged and despite the warn
iugs Of her lame duck attorney, Casper
Lowenstein, known as the "paralizer, " she
went on to enumerate several times and
places when Daddy" who had up to this
time manifested much sympathy, inter.
rupted her in disgust and exclaimed
TOO much rape-too much rape l dis
miss de case"
And the negro was saved from long
stretch in the pen"
Recently there was tried convicted and
sentenced 10 thirty years imprisonment by
Judge Anderson, a negro named George
Lyles for the crime of rape on the person
of Miss Katie Dreager, a buxom German
girl The crime was committed in Lincoln
Park between 10 and II O'Clock at night 1t
was dark and raining and the girl without
an umbrella, was returning through the
park to her temporary domicile with a
bucket of beer The negro was not arrested
until the last of April over two months
after the assault. The negro up to the time
of his arrest passed daily near the domicile
Of the complainant. He was working on
the Government Printing Office building.
The information the police had registered
on the blotter described him as twenty-four
years of age, wearing light overcoat and
black derby hat. The negro was never
known to dress thus and he proved to be
over forty and close to fifty years Of age.
The complainant testified that the negro
had met her about O'Clock in the evening
March q. corner of Ninth street aud Massa-
chusetts avehue, after the assault and that
he threatened to kill her for reporting the
Lincoln Park crime to the police. Matters
then drifted along until the last of April
when he was arrested ia his brothers.
house, because she happening 10 pass
recognized him at an upper story window.
The occupant of the room in which the
window is located testified that the negro
was never in his room.
There were a great many other facts de-
veloped during the trial Of Lyles. Such
for instance as the testimony of Doctor
Pickford, who testified that he made a
medical examination a few months after
the assault, and that the victim was
two months in pregnancy The bucket Of
beer was not spilled neither did the negro
drink III The police blotter was corrected in
knG uAdAA@A VI lAN RAA1ouNA , ab|H aAA a VII
ness testified that Lyles was at his house
one mile from Lincoln Park, all night of the
night of the crime and his former EN-
ployer a white man, gave corroborative 4
testimony which went to prove that Lyles
could not be in Lincoln Park at the hour
named.
Since the close of the case new testimony
has been discovered in favor Of Lyles
aud his counsel will appeal the case, mas
much as the trial judge denied his motion
for a new trial.