Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-29
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
PRISONER TAKEN AWAY TO PRE-
VENT PROBABLE LYNCHING.
Charged With Attempting to Assault
Two Girls in Fairfax
County.



ALEXANDRIA, Va, October %, 1904.
AS a precautionary measure Robert Proc
tor, colored, charged with attempting to
commit criminal assault upon two little
white girls in Fairfax county, was taken
from his cell at the station house here last
evening and conveyed to the Alexandria
county Jail on Fort Myer Heights. After
it became generally known that Proctor
had been brought to Alexandra rumors
of probable attempt at lynching in the
night reached the ears of Mayor Paff, who
decided that 1t would be best to have the
prisoner secretly conducted to the county
court house. Lieut.. Smith left with the
prisoner on the $50 electric train and re-
ported having reached his destination with
out mishap- The negro was arrested yes
terday near this city in Fairfax county
by Clinton Ballenger, who delivered him
into the charge of Officers Henderson and
Allen. He was taken to the station house,
where the charge lodged against his name
was that of attempting criminal assault
upon Robbis Byrne and Elsie Smarr, aged.
respectively seven and ten years. When the
news of his arrest reached Fairfax parties
of citizens We're securing the country for
the negro. Several of the searchers, in
Guiding the fathers of the little girls, came
at once to Alexandria, reaching here short
ly before o'clock, and were shown the
prisoner in the station house. They brought
he was with the girls at the time of the
alleged attempted assault and who de-
clared that he recognized Proctor as being
the negro who had intercepted them on the
road. 1t was stated that the children were
on their way to school yesterday morning.
near Annandale, a village seven miles from
this city. when they were accosted by a
negro, who attempted to persuade them to
go into some nearby woods.
When they refused 1t Is stated, the negro
threatened to shoot them, whereupon they
raised an outcry, which attracted the at
tention of James MUNICH, but when he
reached the scene the assaiIant had run off
The news of the attempted outrage spread
rapidly, and soon the farmers of the COM
munity were out on horseback searching
for the culprit. 1t was stated by a resident
before he reached the police jurisdiction of
this city he would probably have been
lynched.
Proclaimed His Innocence.
At the station house the prisoner stoutly
proclaimed his innocence, declaring that
he had not even met the school children on
the road yesterday. and that he had known
nothing of the charge against him until his
arrest. He stated that he had seen
strange negro loafing about Annandale yes
terday before o'clock. who, he seemed to
think. might be the man wanted. Proctor
is about seventeen years of age. His
mother. Winnie Proctor, lives at Gum
springs, Falr1ax county, where he resided
until several months ago. when he was ar
rested and confined in the county jail for
similar offense alleged to have been at
tempted against colored girl. After his
release from Jail, he stated, he got employ
ment on the railroad and was Temporarily
incapacitated ty slight injury.
General Notes.
Mr.. William A. Moore. tiler of Jackson
Lodge end Alexandria and Washington
Lodge. A. f. AMI A. NJ. has. been presented
with handsome loving acup by the mem
bers of these organizations. Mr.. Moore has
been Mason for fifty years.
The lineup of RE Alexandria Athletic AS
siciation foot ball team in the game with
tic Tanglewoods at the old fair grounds
this afternoon win be Delaney. center; Ten
I yson, left guard; Green. left tackieT Grey