Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-18
el.n corre.nondonc, of rverv Fveninr

star Correspondence Of Every Evening
Milford, Jan. Is. s.-Frederiok Groves,
the negro charged with attempting TO
assault Miss Florence Booze, a school
teacher at the Calhoun school, few
miles from Milford, and who early
yesterday morning was taken TO the
Dover Jail, to avoid violence at the
hands OF a Milford mob, is said to
hnve q bad reputation. This is said to
be Groves third attempt at assault on
young women. About four years ago
be iH said to have attempted suoh a
crime, in the Prime district, Sussex
county. for which he was convicted
and served lS months in Jail as a
penalty. There Is also a rumor that
be Attempted an assault several years
ago 10 Virginia
Groves Is very young for one TO have
such a criminal record, as hs is now
only about u years old. Those who
know the prisoner say be is the sort
of man who would arouse dibtFust and
suspicion ut once.
His complexion is black and he 10
short and heavy set, with unusually
thick lips.
The man accused Of attempting this
hideous crime was reared by d respect
able old cOloFed man named Jerry
Groves, in Slaughter Neck, and it
was from him that he got his name.
Whether he was turned out or left on
his own accord ia not known, but he
departed from Jerry Groves home
when he was but ~ years cid. Even
at that age, II is said, the hey had dis
played an unusually vicious temper
a.. ..NI .N A. Ill.
glad to be rid of him. From that
time until the time Of the assault he
has worked in the lower part of this
State, and in Maryland and Virginia.
Old Jerry had seen him only a few
times since be was boy until Monday
night, when be stopped at his house
and told him he was In trouble.
The old man evidently knew the dis
position Of tho boy he had reared, as
be warned the officers on Tuesday when
they stopped at his house, to be
careful Of him, az be said ho was
desperate man.
Miss Booze, she victim Of the neero's
attempted assault, was in very
nervous condition yesterday afternoon.
William IA. Booze, her father, who is
sewing machine agent In Milford,
when seen by a reporter of Every
Evening, stated that the reports sent
out as TO the attempted assault were
not correct. He said that his daughter
was In too nervous condition 10 DO
seen. Mn. Booze tol1 the facts of the
case as related to him by his daughter.
This school at which my daughter
taught, he said, ''is known as the
Calhoun school and Is situated about
four miles from Milford. She boarded
with William PIottyman, whose farm
house 10 but short distance from the
school. IL was her custom TO remain
at the school after hours, to prepare
the lessons for the next day. When
she left on Monday afternoon, ABOUT
d.30 o'clock, all the scholars had gone.
She had gone but a short distance
when she looked around and saw that a
negro was following her. This brighten.
cd her and she started 20 run, but the
negro soon caught her. The man al
first said Lady, lady, help me, and
then he grabbed her by the throat anc
threw her on the ground. She started
TO scream and he put sand in hel
mouth, but she continued TO figh
him. She told him that MT. Pretty
man was coming and would kill h!m
but the negro seemed TO know that tn,
Prettyman family was away. lie tcre
some OF her clothes, and it was ca eI
that she gave him the keys 60 thl
school and told him there was IS OF
$40 in desk, which he could have !
he would leave her alone. lie tool
the keys and started toward the school
When he was out Of sight she starte,
90 run and ran to the home of William
Ritter and told about the attempt &
assault her Mr. Ritter, with severa
others, started out to find the aegro
who went towards Milton. The nogi,
crossed the farm Of John Ponder, an,
rs MF. Ponder had heard OF the at
tempted assault, be fred three shots a
him, but none Of them took effect. "
There has also been many complicate
Etatementa made as to the capture anl
the attempts to lynch Groves. lie wa
arrested by Chief Of Police Charlie
Macklin Of Milford and posse, abcu
4 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, on tn
farm Of Alexander Wilkins, at Ceda
Creek, about four miles from Milford
He offered no resistance and was pu
in the lookup at Milford about
O'Clock that afternoon, after he hal
been taken before Magistrate Fishe
and identified by Miss Booze as th
man who attempted TO assault her.
Before be was brought face 20 fac
with Miss Booze, the negro had in
sisted that his name was LanRiord.
During the evening, an1 in fact a.
night, there was a mob in front Of "a
small lookup where the negro wa
confined, but there was no leader an
therefore but little damage was done
At one time the mob old make rus
and break the lock on the door at ia
lookup, but display Of firearms b
the sheriff and deputies drove thei
back. The principal object Of the mo