Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-22
ARRESTEDFOR ASSAULT
CoPPERSMITH IS LOCKED UP IN
THE CITY JAIL.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va, October %
Clarence Woodwork, young white man
employed at the Newport News shipyard
as a coppersmith. is locked up in the city
Jail awaiting trial on the serious charge
of criminal assault, the alleged crime hav
ing been committed in the north end Of
this city at an early hour Sunday morn
ing. Mrs. Rose Foretich, a sister Of ex-
Councilman Joseph Hagan, was the victim
of the assault.
Woodwork escaped to the woods but was
picked up by the provost guard at Camp
Embarkation, the military camp estab-
lished just above the city by the troops des-
ignated for service in Cuba, about o'clock
this morning. He was held for the police.
and Police Sergeant Mitchell hurried to
the camp. identified the prisoner and took
him to the police station. warrant was
Immediately drawn UP and Wocdwprth
turned over to Sheriff Milstead for safe
keeping in the city Jail.
Stirred by Assault.
The north end was greatly stirred by the
assault and early this morning about
twenty citizens armed themselves and
started in pursuit Of Woodwork. Had
they caught him there would probably
have been a lynching, as they were very
Mistead had a guard placed at the Jail
last night In order to resist any attack that
might be made. but the threatened mob
did not materialze, the citizens preferring
Commonwealth Attorney Robinson will
present the case to the grand jury today
and, if an indictment is brought, he will
be tried at once. as the corporation court
Is now in session.
Woodwork does not seem to realize the
gravity Of his plight. He says that he was
drinking heavily on Saturday night, but
does not remember having committed the
alleged assault. He says he suddenly be-
came conscious Of wandering along the
railroad tracks, coatless and hatless, but
had no recollection of what happened pre-
vious to that time. Woodwork come here
and had been boarding at Mrs. Forettch' 8
home.
Sleeping Peacefully.
Mrs. Foretich was sleeping peacefully in
her room at 800 42d street with her four
small children when the assailant crept 81
lently into the room and hung his coat on
the bedpost. Mrs. Foretich heard some one
moving about in the room, but supposed
1t was her husband who slept in an ad-
Joining room. The assault was commit
ted before she realized that it was an
other man, whom she recognized as Wood
worth, and she began to scream. Mr.
Foretich rushed into the room and the
two men grappled in the dark, but the
criminal escaped and ran down 42d street
toward the railroad. A crowd of citizens
was soon organized and they gave chase
but they were hopelessly distanced and
failed to find any trace of the men.
Mrs. Foretich,. who was in delicate
health, was very much excited over the
assault but said that Woodwork was the
man. She said that she had scratched
him in the face and that the marks would
be found when he was caught. The police
discovered several scratches on Wood
worth's face when he was taken in Gus
tody.
Railroad men state that a coatless man
came into the Old Point junction. not far
from the Foretich home. early yesterday
morning and inquired the time Of the de-
parture of the first outgoing train.
Woodwork has previously borne a good
reputation. He served as volunteer in
the Spanish American war and saw service
in both Cuba and the Philippines.
Mrs. Foretich Is a mlddle-aged woman
and II well thought of in the north end
section.