The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-23
We're Arrested After an Ex-,
citing Chase.
PARTICULARS OF
CRIME COMMITTED,
Unknown Negro Attacks and ohokes
an Aged Lady and Afterwards Robs
Glrl-The Citizens Search a
for the Criminal. Against
Whom Many Threats
Were Made.

Two negro men, short ana thlcK-set ana
otherwise answering to the description OF
the Chesterfield criminals, whose terrible
work near Centrala Tuesday afternoon
has stirred the county to its very depths.
were chased last night from Manchester
TO Richmond, where they were finally
caught and locked up in the First Police
Station.
Since the assault men have been on
watch at the different railway stations.
and last night one OF them posted at the \
seaboard Depot In Manchester espied two
men, either OF whom might be the one
described as the assailant Of the Chester
field women. He began to question them
and one Of the fellows drew pistol and \
began to look ugly. Then began along
chase. The negroes fled before the man
. one Hugh Turner by name-and the race
kept up across tho long bridge and full
into Richmond. where Turner stopped
and notified the police. Two officers
Lamkin and Puller. of the fsrst District
were sent out. They turned into Main
Street and ran into the negroes. who were
heading down the street.
The 1.-Two men are John Balchrops End
Ed, PILiam, and the charge lodged
l
characters. One of them had a pistol on
him. Both are short and thick-set and
black They say they came from North
Carolina.
Apart from the arrest ofthese two men
there were no developments yesterday In
connection with the Chesterfield affair.
Feeling In the county is still runping
high, and expressions Of summary Ven-
geance on the negro brutes are heard at
5Ior
woman he attempted to assault, bore 9
few bruises, but was otherwise unfurt.
She appeared yesterday with gun at
her side, and she declares that II tho
negro appears again to trouble her she
will blow his head on.
How it Happened.
For some hours after the assault oc-s
Cured the greatest excitement prevailed
In the section OF the county surrounding
the scene of the happening. AS told yes
terday morning, men with loaded shot
guns and pistols tramped the woods and
roads in n vain hunt after the criminal,
and deslsted only when 1t became appar-
ent that in the gloom OF the night the
search was something akin to that OF the
mythical and elusive needle IN the hay
stack. The man either skipped into Rich
mond Mt the dead of night. or else dod ged .
into the Chesterfield woods. where he may
still be In hiding unless the men arrested
last night prove to be the right ones.
Mrs. Thompson. who came first within
sixty years of age. She is In feeble
health, having but recently returned
from a Richmond hospital, where she
passed through a serious Illness Her
home In Chesterfield is between Bell.
wood and Centralia, near the tracks OF
the Petersburg electric line.
Seated quietly in the door of her house.
about o'clock on the afternoon OF Tues
day, Mrs. Thompson was reading her
paper when the scheming rascal first
appeared. The negro approached the wo-
man and asked her for something TO eat.
The servant was away from the house.
she replied, and 1t would be impossible
lust then to provide him with food. Upon
receiving this Information the negro set
Off in a shiftless manner across the road.
but after moments hesitation hs
stopped and returned. This time he asked &
for drink of water. Mrs. Thompson
motloned him to the we'll, and he drank
and then came back.
tt was at this time that the assault
occurred. In a moment the negro's rough
black hands We're around the throat OF
Mrs. Thompson and. invalid and weak.
she was borne to the floor with him As
she fell the negro hissed into her ear
that II she made any noise he would
however, she screamed wildly fort help.
and with strength born OF desperation
to ungrasp the terrible hands
that held her as a wise. But the rough
fingers sank lower into the flesh. and
the gasps of the prostrate woman showed
that she was being choked into insensi-
b,lity Not even then, however, did shs
give up; last attempt she made, and IL
succeeded,
With ono OF her hands sha caught tho
thick under lin of the negro and gave II
a wrench while with the other she beat
him hercely In the face, This caused him
to take one hand from her throat. and
Just as he did SO she screamed again.
more loudly and desperately than ever.
An answering call now reassured her
and served TO renew her rapidly failing
strength, "All right; I am coming" said
a voice-the voice of man. sadler,
farmer ploughng In a nearby field. had
heard and was coming 10 her rescue,
The negro with scowl OF rags on
Ills black face, reluctantly released his
held of the woman and made the best of
his time getting out OF the approaching
uan's reach. He' was chased by Sad
ler and others armed with guns. bu.
40 trace OF him could he found. The
fugitive darted through the woods.
rea ched the electric road. and started
south, 49,
The Second Assault.
II.