Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-29
SDRCH FOR FUGITIVE.
Police IN Quest Of Miss Arc
tander's Assailant.
HARD PROBLEM TO SOLVE
Descriptive Circulars Sent to All Sec.
tions of the Country.
SEVERAL SUSPECTS ARRESTED
Scene Of Assault visited-case Dis
cussed With the De-
tectives.
tions of the Country.
SEVERAL SUSPECTS ARRESTED

Miss Edele Aretander on the Hayden Mil
road Friday afternoon. DR.. Gregg Custis.
the attending physician, stated 10 Can't
Boardman last night that the crime was
only an attempted criminal assault. Cap
ftal punishment, therefore, does not apply.
Since the affair was reported to the police
by DR.. Gusts. Maj. Sylvester and Cant.
Boardman have been urging the detectives
and policemen to do everything in their
power to bring about the arrest of the
guilty person.
It's hard problem to solve," one of
Capt. Boardman's detectives admitted last
night. land IL we get him we will also
have the assaiilant of Miss Mary Hunt and
Mr.. Allen Harrison"
The police squad Of the tenth precinct
was increased Friday night by the detail
of men from other precincts The extra
men were on duty there again yesterday.
ana the woods through Rock Creek Park
ana ana IN tnat vicinity were secured by those
VINO were searching for the man who at
tempted the felonious assault after he had
taken the handbag of the victim Several
suspects were arrested yesterday and some
OF them were seen by Miss Alexander but
she was not able to identity any of them.
She has not seen all, however, and will
probably look at the others today. The
scene Of the assault was visited Yesterday
Dy sdetectives, policemen and Others and
many persons living In the vicinity of the
place were questioned. None OF the resi-
dents OF that section could be found who
mad seen the colored man but he was nh
served by others lettering about the park
not far from the old mill Friday morning.
or about four hours before the robbery and
assault were committed.
Scene Of the Assault.
At that point. where Miss Arctander. was
tod f,y, y,to
was Just across the creek from the Beach
driveway and was in a position where she
could see automobiles and other vehicles
speeding along Persons who were In that
section of the park Friday afternoon no.
sticed the young woman seated there read
Ing the magazine 1t was probably some
time after 8 O'Clock when she heard foot
steps near her and turned and saw the
strange colored man with her hand bag
She asked him to take the contents and
return the bag, but he let her know that
he mad not the slightest idea of granting
her request. Seeing he was determined and
that she could gain nothing by parleying
W.. him., Miss Arctander ,kurned and
started east along the Blagden Mil road.
He had jumped from an abutment on the
edge of 1.-THE creek rand, irthe; young lacy
thought had gone an a. westerly direction. ~.
Her experience was sufficient and she de-
cided to hurry to the street car line on
elsewhere She had proceeded about 200
yards when she again heard footsteps, and
before she could turn and make an inves-
tigation, she was grabbed and thrown upon
the ground There, out of sight Of human
habitation and upon the rough abandoned
road she fought and struggled with all
her might against a powerfully built man.
1t seemed to her that the struggle lasted
an hour before she was finally released and
permitted to leave her assailant. She then
made her way up the steep hill to the house
of Robert Cross, colored. about 100 yards
from the road.
The woman was in such a nervous stase.
that she hardly realized what she was do
ing. Going almost to the house before she
saw Mrs. Cross and others, she simply
marked: This is not the place." turned
and went back to the road Then she
made another start toward Brightwood,
hoping every minute she would meet
white person and fearing she might be
overtaken and assaulted by the man.
Bloodstains Upon Victim.
When she reached the house of the Cross
family there was dirt upon her clothing
and her appearance was such that but III
tie attention was paid TO her. Had 1t n 6
been for the change In her appearance that
had been made by her assailant. Mrs. Cross
would have assisted her. Miss Arctander
finally reached the main road. where her
appearance made an entirely different inn
preston on Mr.. William Mcclure and his
wife, and they took her in their carriage
Bloodstains were found upon her and Dr.
Gusts says he thinks the blood was drawn
from the woman with the finger nails of her
assailant.
Miss Arctander yesterday accompanied
Detective Warren and showed him where
she was seated at the time her handbag
was taken and also the place where she
was afterward overtaken on the road and
so brutally treated. The finding of the
purse in the park west OF where the theft
was committed convinced the detectives
that the colored man did not leave thar
section by going over the road toward
Brightwood. but that he retraced his foot
steps and crossed the creek.
He then had the choice of five ways to
leave that part of the park. as there are
that many roads leading In az many diff
ferent directions. So far as the police were
able to ascertain yesterday and last night,
the colored man was not seen after he had
committed the assault. After securing the
contents of the handbag. $1.15 and Ave car
tickets. 1t Is thought that he left the road
sight or under cover until he was able to
get away unnot3ced. Precinct Detective
Estes of the tenth precinct visited the spot
where the assault was committed and found
several articles that had been dropped by
Miss Arctander. He picked up hairpin.
safety pin and pencil. There were also sew
eraf pieces of the magazine that had been
torn during the struggle. While the police
a young lady In the woods away from the
road sketching pictures of the creek She
was alone. and the police warned her of
what had occurred to Miss Arctander FRI
day.
Looking for an Opportunity.
It was stated to the police last night that
a coiored man answering the description Of
the assailant of the young woman was seen
moving along Blagden Mil road about III
o clock Friday morning He was a stranger
to those who saw him.
His presence there at that time caused
some Of the police to believe that he was
about there most Of the day looking for an
opportunity to rob or assault some one.
There was hut very little likelihood that he
would be discovered at the place where the
assault was committed as the Cross house
Is the nearest residence. and that was so
far away that people living there could not
have heard an outcry made By person
upon thai part Of the road.
At the o'clock roll call at police head
quarters last night Capt. Boardman dis
cussed the case with the members of the
detective corps and sent the men out TO
continue their efforts In the matter OF APP
prehending the man for whose arrest q re-
49, A