The Washington times., 1904-12-30
GIRLS ATTACKED
BY NEGRO BRUTE
Miss Elsie PeyeriII Beaten
Into Insenslbllity.
FRIENDS COME TO RESCUE
Residents of the Neighborhood of Ar
liEgton Junction Aroused Over
Attempted Assault.
FRIENDS COME TO RESCUE

An unknown negro man made q brutal |
attempt at criminal assault upon Miss
Elsie Peverill near Arlington Junction |
last night about 1880 o'clock.
After beating his victim into insensi- |
hility the negro was Interrupted and
frightened into fight by the approach of
friends of Miss Peverill.
Up to late hour this afternoon he
was still at large, and the prospects of
his capture are small
Miss Peverili is the seyeuteen-year-old
daughter of Louis PeverilI, a prom
inent truck farmer living near Alexan-
dria. Yesterday afternoon she came UP
to Arlington Junction to visit Miss
Beulah Ebaugh, the daughter of w. n
Ebaugh, foreman of the Potomac Brick
Company.
AT Christmas Entertainment.
Last night Mr.. Ebaugh drove the two
young ladies over to Arlington Church,
where Christmas tree entertainment
was in progress. He wished to return
for them. but the girls told him they
would probably have company and he
should not come back.
When the entertainment was over the
two girls chatted for a while with
friends and then started home by them
selves. They reached Arlington juno
ton in safety.
From the car station to Mr.. Ebaughs
home is but a short walk, and the girls
walked down the track without the
slightest fear. TIC track takes a long
curve shortly after leaving the little
station, and then runs straight line
some distance past the yards of the
Potomac Brick Company. The young
the negro suddenly stepped out of the
darkness of the old Baltimore and Ohio
Canal bed, cleared his throat, and then
began TO whistle tune.
Seized by the Throat.
Miss Ebaugh was much frightened and
wanted to run, but Miss Peverill told her
not TO do SO. The negro made a quick
bound into the middle of the car track
and seized both girls by the throat.
He was described as powerful brute.
over six feet in height and with a buriy
figure
Miss Ebaugh succeeded, however, in
getting away. She had heavy sill
Yer necklace and the negroes fingers
were in some manner severely pinched
by the metal He loosed his hold for a
second and she broke from him. She
ran down the tracks to the brick yard
and alarmed the Waterman, who hasten
ed with her back to the scene. Miss
Peverin could not be seen anywhere.
The Waterman and Miss Ebaugh ran 10
the telegraph Office at the station and
came back with Two more men. In the
meantime Mr.. Ebaagh had arrived.
Found Lying Unconscious.
A search for Miss Peverill was begun
and finally she was found lying beside
the car tracks unconscious. Her face
was bloody and spotted with mud Her
clothing was torn In many places. The
scene of the assault showed many evil
dences of the heroic struggle the girl
had made against her assailant
Miss Peverill was carried TO Mr..
EbaughS home, and a doctor was sum-
moned DR.. A. A. Ritteneur attended
her. When she recovered conscious
ness the girl was in a serious condi-
ton. This afternoon she was resting
quietly, and viii be all right in few
days.
A large bag. which the man evident
ly used to carry stolen coal, was found
on the scene of the assault 1t IS
ing coal from the brick yard opposite
the station when he saw the girls
pass.
Fruitless Search.
Four or five men hunted around for
two or three hours fast night for the
negro, but found no trace Of him
They say that had they captured the
brute there would have been no lynch
ing
We would not have wasted rope on
him, said one of the men. we would
have filled him full of lead on sight"
# the negro is caught today he will
be sent to Alexandria at once to guard
against mob violence.
1t was said today that a negro an
swering the description of Miss Pc
verilfs assailant lives at Johnson Hill,
negro settlement west of Arlington
Junction, and the man will be arrested
If found.
The following description of the
negro was furnished the police in Al
exandria: Very black, about twenty
two years old; six feet tall; wore dark
clothes; SLOUGH hat; clothes covered
with clay.