Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-31
Finds Supposed Assailant Of
Two Young Women.
PARTIALLY IDENTIFIED
CRIME IN ALEXANDRIA COUNTY
THURSDAY NIGHT.
Dog Takes Cold Scent and Goes Over It
Twice With Unerring
Precision.

of a local grocer, is locked up in the
Alexandria county-jail, suspected OF
having attempted to criminally as
sault two young women near Airing
ton Junction Thursday night. Il
Dempsey was trailed by blood.
hound to a hut in Alexandria cor,n-
ty at an early hour this morning.
He was partially identified by one of
the victims, but he denies having
been anywhere near the scene OF
the crime.
Alexandria county citizens are
enraged and lynching is threatened
should the man be fully identified.
Virginia militia is under orders to
proceed to the Jail at short notice.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, December 81. 1904.
Traced by bloodhound in the still hours
OF the night from the scene of a revolving
crime, a scared and shivering man. who
from a hut near Arlington Junction in
Alexandria county shortly after O'Clock
this morning by a posse of officers and
citizens, who arrested him on the charge
of attempting to criminally assault Miss
Esther Peverill and Miss Beulah Ebaush
near that place Thursday night. Protest
ing his innocence the man was led before
Miss Ebaugh at the home of her father
I5ay han
away 1t was still early when the house
was reached, and the young lady viewed
the accused in the uncertain light of the
dawn She believed the prisoner was
probably the man who had brutally beaten
her companion and herself Thursday night,
but she said she could not be certain OF
the identification. In the brief and terri
bic struggle, Miss Ebaush had seen her as
sailant in only such light as IS made oy
the dim glow of the stars on clear night.
His tall and massive form had been Clearly
outlined to her vision, but of his features
and countenance she could recall nothing
but the vague picture of british face
distorted with passion.
In the night she had been convinced that
the man was black. Miss Peveriu shared
this belief, but they were unable to say
positively whether he was negro or
whether a white man with his face be-
smeared with CRIME. Miss Ebaugh ventur-
ed no surmiSe without definite reason. Re-
alizing the tremendous Importance, at least
to the man concerned, of the opinion she
was called upon to express. she made
critical survey Of the accused. In fact,
her partial identification was made while
she was in ignorance of the particular one
charged with the crime. Four men, fnclud-
ing Dempsey and one negro who had been
arrested on suspicion, were made to stand
in line while she walked before them. She
pointed to Dempsey as the one who closely
resembled her assailant. saying that she
~ E1 xirrht no fbn crot IN
experiment was tried and with the same
result. The condition of Miss Peverill was
still too serious to subject her to similar
ordeal.
Taken to the Jail.
AS soon as this business had been dis
posed of Sheriff Palmer ard his deputies
conducted their prisoner to Arlington juno
ton, where the sheriff's buggy wait
ing. They then travelled rapidly to the
county court house on Fort Myer Heights
and the prisoner was placed in a cell in
the Jail. Commonwealth Attorney Crandall
Mackey, who was notified by phone at his
Office in Washington, visited the prisoner in
his cell and had talk with him shortly
before noon. In the opinion of the COM
mOnwealth attorney, ne told pretty
straight story. He said his name was John
Dempsey, and that he was twenty-five
years of age. His father. he said. conducts
a grocery store on Maryland avenue north
east.
The prisoner declared that he had been
working in one of the brick yards at
Waterloo for the past six months. He
said his original home was in Culpeper
county. Va. The prisoner swore that he
was absolutely innocent of the crime
charged against him, asserting that he was
elsewhere at the time of the occurrence
He said he could prove this in court.
1t was stated at the court house this
afternoon that the authorities are not by
any means convinced that they have in this
prisoner the right man. His appearance,
it was said. offered nothing in his favor
but there were said to be several circum-
stances which threw grave doubt upon the
presumption of his guilt.
Threats of lynching we're heard in many
quarters, both here and in the county,
when the news of his capture was first Cir
culated. But with the knowledge that his
naturalization had only been partial and
presumptive, the talk of violent measures
has decreased. Nevertheless the county
authorities are prepared to protect their
prisoner to the utmost should any demon
stration be made against him tonight. The
members of the Alexandria Light Infantry
holding themselves in readiness for
call from the governor to render assistance
to the county sheriff and his deputies
should it be deemed necessary.
Start of the Bloodhound.
The bloodhound was carried to the scene
of the crime about 1 o'clock this morning
L ne QOS was Drought mere from SUFFOLK Ivy
s l.. Branch, son of John ]. 8. Branch,
better known as Hurricane" Of the
Branch detective agency of that place
The detectives selected one of their best
animals Tramp" with a fine record, for
the duty. Arriving in this city soon after
midnight, Mr.. Branch was joined by OFF,
GERS Hugh Latham and john Henderson of
the local police force, who had been de-
tailed to assist in the search. Several res
idents of the city who heard of the arrival
of the detective and his bloodhound, form
ing a party, accompanied the officers into
the county. When they reached the vicin-
ity of the scene of the crime they were
Joined by Sheriff Palmer. who had with him
several deputies including Deputy Harry
Palmer and Deputy Edward Veitch. The
deputies were on horseback. Mr.. Lewis
Peverili the father of Miss Peverill, and
Mr.. William E. Ebaugh, father of Miss
Ebaugh met the officers at the rendezvous
They all proceeded down the railroad track
to the place where the two young women
were attacked. Here the hound was put to
work. The trail was a cold one, twenty
seven hours old, but the dog Immediately
scented mans track. The animal became
greatly exercised, striving to break from
his leash, and baying loudly.
Set Of at Rapid Pace.
When given free rein he set of at a rapid
pace. with his nose close to the ground The
trail which he followed led through brick
fields nd over broken and ha I'd croupd l,,,%