The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-07-25
ATTACKED BY NEGRO.
THREE WOMEN ASSAULTED.
Assailsnt Eiudes Pursuit In Chester
field County,

Asssilant Eiudes Pursuit In Chester-
field County.
An unknown negro Tuesday assaulted
three women in Chesterfield County with
In an hour. and though men armed with
shotguns and other weapons, hunted for
the negro for hours, bent upon wreakiug
dire vengeance upon him, he is still at
large. The first was an attempt at
criminal assault, and was made on a
woman sixty years of age The second
assault was on two young girls, and the
purpose Ia this instance was robbery.
While Mrs. X. W. Thompson was sit
ting on the porch OF her home betw en-
Bellwood and Centralia Tuesday after
noon, negro approached and asked for
food. lie was told that the servant was
away and that he could get nothing. He
then asked Tor water, and was pointed
To the well.
Alter drinking, the negro started away,
but suddenly came back and made u
tiendish assault on Mrs. Thompson. De-
spite threats Mrs. Thompson struggled
desperately and screamed at the top of
her voice. With almost superhuman
strength she wrenched one hand from
the negroes grasp, and seized him by the
lower lip. While the desperate struggle
was going on Mrs. Thompson never
ceased her cries, and these, together with
her brave struggles, saved her from the
hendish brute. A tenant on the place
heard the cries, and came rapidly calling
out as he ran. The negro fled. Mr. Sad
Ter found Mrs. Thompson weak and help
less on the floor, trembling from the re-
action Of her brave struggle
An hour later, as Miss Una Clement
and Miss Bertha Thurston were walking
to their home from Centralia along thu
track OF the electric line, they came upon
a negro setting on the track. Ii proved
to be the same man who had attacked
Mrs. Thompron. He arose and started
to pass the two girls. Az he got oppo-
site he snatched hand satchel from
Miss Thurston. The girl brought her
umbrell down over the negroe head,
aud was rewarded by blow that ielled
her to the ground, and her companion
was thrown on top OF her.
The negro then walked off, and Miss
Thurston pursued him, a colored hoy on
horse joining in the pursuit Seeing
that he was followed the desperate negro
drew pistol. and pointing ii at his
pursuers, told them to go back.
The negro boy rode to Centralis a.
rapidly as his horse would take him, aud
gave the alarm Soon every man 10 the
community, well armed, was searching
for the brute. News soon reached them
OF the first assault, and every nook and
corner OF the country was secured The
negro was tracked to a swamp, and this
was surrounded by pickets ready to shoot
on sight. News was sent to Manchester
and Richmond. Crews on the electric
cars reported seeing negro Of the de-
scription going in the direction OF Peters
burg. Another had seen him going in
the opposite direction. He apparently
had doubled on his tracks and eluded his
pursuers.
One negro was arrested Tuesday night
with two ladies pocketbooks on him but
Miss Thurston came TO Manchester and
declared he was not the one who assault
ed her and her companion. The police
are still on the watch.
Edward Pulliam and John Palthreo,
the negroes arrested on suspicion of hav
ing committed the attacks on ladies in
Chesterfield on Tuesday evening, had
their cases continued in the Police Court
until one OF the ladies can come from
Chesterfield 20 identify them. Both ne
groes claim to have come there direct from
North Carolina.