The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-03-03
A NEGRO! RAYISHER
LODGED IN JAIL.
CRIME WAS COMMITTED IN LOWER PART
OF COUNTY THURSDAY A WEEK AGO.
The Lady Is Miss Emma Bowers, Who
Lives Near Little Mountain Account
Of tile Terrible Crime.

George Strother, negro charged
, with rape, was lodged in the NewberrS
Jail yesterday morning. The crime
with which he is charged was commit
ted upon the person of Miss Emma
Bowers, sister of DR.. j. l.. Bowers
in the lower part of the county, neal
Little Mountain, on last Thursday q
week ago.
The first news of the crime reached
Newberry with the prisoner yesterday
morning. Why the arrest was not
made sooner, or some kind Of action
taken, it is very easy to understand.
Miss Bowers lives with her b ,ther,
DR.. Bowers. At the time the terrible
deed was committed he was away from
home at the bedside of near relative
living at Little Mountain, who was
every moment expected to die. The
negro was working for Mr.. Walter P.
Counts, on an adjoining plantation. and,
content in the belief that the threats
which he made against the lady's life
should she ever tell of the deed, would
be sufficient to keep the secret buried
within her breast, he made no attempt
to escape. He was closely watched
by Dr.. Bowers relatives until yester-
day morning, when it was decided to
place him in the hands of the proper
officers and to let the law take its
course.
The details of the crime are too har-
rowing to be mnutely presented to the
public. In the afternoon in question
Miss Bowers was at the home of Mr..
George Counts, her brother-in-law, who
lives about one mile from DR.. Bowers
home. About five o'clock in the after
noon, accompanied by Mr.. Counts chill
dren, the eldest of whom was about ten
years of age, she started towards
home. The children went with her
nearly the whole way through the
woods which separated the two houses.
immediately after they left her she
was accosted by the negro, who asked
her to loan him some money. She re-
piled that she didn't have any. The
negro assumed threatening attitude,
and Miss Bowers started to run. She
was speedily overtaken. She was
gagged with handkerchief, and with
knife held before her face she was
told by the negro that if she screamed
or if she ever breathed word about
the deed he would kill her. In the
struggle she was considerably bruised
and scratched on the throat and neck.
NEGRO DENIES EVERYTHING.
Strother was seen by representa-
tive of The Herald and News yesterday
morning. He was lodged in the iron
cell of the Jail. He is fine specimen
of physical manhood very tall and
weighing about two hundred pounds,
and coal black. At the time he was seen
he claimed that he did not know with
whathe was charged. When told he said
that he knew nothing at all about the
matter, that on the Thursday afternoon
mentioned he was in the woods the
whole day splitting rails and did not
see Miss Bowers. Strother was very
much frightened, and number Of
questions were necessary in order to
get anything from him. The substance
of what he said is denial Of everything.
He is said to be one Of the negroes who
were driven from Phoenix at the time
of the race riot there several years
ago.
In view of all the circumstances in
the case great deal of credit is due
the family and the relatives and neigh
bors who knew of the facts for their
course in delivering the negro into the
hands of the law. The delay in taking
action was occasioned, as stated above,
by DR.. Bowers forced absence from
home on account Of the dying condition
of nea:' relative.
THE RIGHT NRGEO.
Strother lived last year with Dr..
Bowers and was well known by Miss
Bowers. There is no doubt that he is
the negro guilty Of the crime.