Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-12-20
Servant Girls Suicidal Attempt.

ored at the home of Chief of
police George G. Ricamore last
Sunday afternoon shortly after 3
o'clock.
As far as can be determined from
,bo evidence of the principal,
1.nie Laws, colored, and those
who arrived at the house few
moments aftcrward, the case IS as
follows:
jamie Laws raised window ON
,be second floor of the house and
called TO one Of the boys at the
Harlesty Livery Stable. saying
that she had been shot, and asking
him 10 90 after DIR. Osborne. whose
residence is Immediately across
the street.
DIR. Osborne responded at once,
and found the girl in her room
living upon the bed, partially
clothed, with bullet wound in the
right side of her abdomen.
She made statement 10 DIR.
Osborne, Deputy Sheriff Lupton
and James Nash, colored. TO the
effect that she had been attacked
bv "dirty-looking white man,
wearing dark clothes and dark
cap. and having a black beard, "
and that the man had shot her.
She then said that the man had
gone out of the rear entrance to
the house after shooting her.
Officer Lupton, James Nash and
George Nickens, Savage's bar
tender, at once instituted a search
for the supposed criminal. 1t was
at once found that all of the rear
doors we're closed and barred on
the inside. 1t was. therefore, inn
possible for anyone To have escap-
ed in that direction. As there was
an Immediate response 10 her cry
for relief, it was also impossible
for anyone to have escaped from
the front door without being seen.
Officer Lupton made a close and
careful search of every room in
the house with the result that no
one was found, but a revolver of
$2 caibre was found lying at the
top Of the steps in the attic.
Mr. Ricamore, when he arrived
from his farm, where he and his
entire family had been spending the
day with his son and wife, identi-
fed the pistol as one which had
been contiscated by him in the
pursuit of his duties as Town Ser
geant. He had placed the revolver
ona shelf in 4 closet in his bed
room, after unloading it. The five
cartridges were placed in the upper
part of bureau in another part of
the same room. When he made
search it was found that only four
Of the cartridges remained in the
bureau. The pistol contained one
empty she'll.
Late Sunday evening, after
consultation between Drs. Osborne,
k. =. Page and Surgeon John f.
Page of the United States Navy,
1t was decided that an immediate
Operahod was necessary. The
Winchester Memorial Hospital was
called over the telephone and
agreed to send their ambulance
Tor the patient. The ambulance
reached Berryville about IL p. m.
and returning to Winchester reach
ed there two hours later. An
operation was at once performed,
with the result that it was found
uat there were six punctures in
TIE bowel on the left side, with
o'her organs also penetrated.
ohe seemed to rally fairly well
from the operation, and Monday
morning was in much better condi-
uon than the surgeons at the hos
plal had expected.
The story of the girl regarding
the attempted assault, seems very
nlmsy, when it is also known that
'uere was considerable money lying
III and upon the bureau and that
none of 1T haG been moved.
Inc generally accepted theory
vi the shooting is that the girl
"led to end her life in an attempt
I" conceal her condition, and that
"nen she found that she had failed,
"cr next thought was to concoct a
S'ory which would pass as an ex-
cuSe or explanation of the shooting
LATER.