The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-16
UNDER A SERIOUS CHARGE.
w. c. Rogers Charged With At
tempting Criminal Assault.

w. c. Rogers. of Henderson, who
burg yesterday. is in the city lock-
UP under q serious charge He is
ch Urged with assault with intent to
Commit rape. In default of a one
thousand dollai bond he was locked
up last night.
The complain. that caused the arrest
OF Rogers was made by Miss Novelia
and Miss Nellie Mooney. two sisters.
They have identified Rogers and he
seems to be in bad scrape. His trial
VIII probably lake lace before the
mayor this morning at which time all
of the facts in the case will be brought
out.
Inc two young ladies are nieces of
FRANK Howard, the fruit man, and live
with him. They complained TO their
uncle that they were assaulted by a
strange man and soon after this Sar-
seant CUTS was put on the case. The
result was that Rogers was arrested
and identified aud is now in Jail.
The two young ladies say that last
night Just after the high dive on Par
rish street, making it about $50
Rogers and thal he took hold of them
in manner that caused them to be
frightened. He first caught hold of
MISS NOvelia Mooney and she struck
him with her fist. He then caught
hold of Miss Nellie Mooney in the same
manner and she says used language
that was improper. She struck him
with the walking cane that she had
In her hand, brea king it over him.
AS soon as they reported the matter
70 their uncle the story was told to
Sergeant Cults and he started out to
locked for the stranger. In a short
while he ran against a man that an
SWered the description given and the
officer spoke to him about the matter.
II" agreed to go before the young wo-
men. stating that he knew nothing
about the case When ne . started.
however, he gave the officer the slip
and escaped in the crowd. Later Frank
Howard found the man and called on
Policeman Aldrluge to arrest him. He
Was then placed under arrest by the
officers.
When carried before the young wo-
m ! he was positively identified and
til taken to the police station.
- soon as Chef WOOdall had heard
TIL particulars of the case he held the
prisoner on the charge of assault with
intent to commit rape and fixed his
locked up.
Soon after he was put in the guard
house the reporter had a talk with
him He talked very freely and said
that he was innocent of the charge.
e; may have rubbed up against the
women" he said, but 1 did not in
tend anything wrong. ! remember
tl-lt some women struck me over the
head but that was nothing uncommon
OH the streets during the afternoon
and night and 1 paid very little atten-
ton to it. 1 am certainly innocent of
any wrong act" Continuing the pris-
o~ar said that he has a wife and our
children and mentioned the name Of
a lumber of very prominent citizens
OF Vance. Granville and other counties
wHo he said were related to him. He
came over on tie excursion and was
Il -companied by a brother and broth
er-in-law. Both of these went back
on the train and left him here.
The assault dis told by the young
vc;nen was one of a very serious ma
ture and if Rogers is convicted it will
go hard with HIM. The man was not
drunk at the time, although he told
the reporter that he had taken several
d?inks.-Durham Herald. September
18th