Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-02
BURLY RUFF|AN'S DEED
Assaults Two Of a Party of
Young People.
POLICE ARE ON HIS TRAIL
Young Girl Faints as Result of Shock
and Fright.
BRAVE DEFENSE OF COMPANION
Brutal Attack Made Within Three
Hundred Yards of Camp
Good Will.
POLICE ARE ON HIS TRAIL
RAVE DEFENSE OF COMPANIONS

While party Of three girls and two boys
were returning from Brightwood to Camp
Good VIII. along the Military road, shortly
after o'clock Friday evening, they were
attacked BY a bury colored man. He at
tempted to throw down one Of the girls,
but failed. succeeding. however, In dashins
another OF the party to the ground. The
latter was afterward carried in an uncon-
scious condition into the camp. The assail-
ant escaped, but the police are on his trail
camp Good WIN was greatly excited fol-
lowing the affair. and all day yesterday the
assault was the CHIEF topic of conversation.
The matter came to the attention of the
police yesterday afternoon, and Precinct
Detective Estes went at once to Camp Good
WIZ to learn the details OF the affair A
description OF the man was obtained and
has been sent throughout the city.
IN the party mentioned were Margaret
Waring, eighteen years old, an assistant In
the camp: Kate Meiklejohn. fourteen years
Old; Alice Meikiejohn thirteen years old;
Theodore Brice, thirteen years old, and AL
bert Crestile. twelve years old. They start
ed out about o'clock from the camp to 70
to Brightwood, distance of about three
quarters of a mile. 1t was early In the
evening and it was believed they could get
back before dark The walk to the village
was accomplished without incident, and
cream by Miss Warning.
little later the party started back along
Military road. Darkness was coming on
rapidly and haste was necessary.
Pursued by Colored Man.
All went well until they were approach
ing the bridge on Military road. which is
about 300 yards away from the camp There
they became aware that a colored man, ap-
parently drunk, was following them. The
children were frightened, but the older girl
cautioned them not to run away. as that
would show that they were afraid of the
pursuer. She thus tried to keep up their
courage.
They had not gone far when Miss Waring.
In glancing around. saw the colored man
start to run after them, the signs of drunk
enness disappearing. Miss Warning stood
her ground. hoping by show of courage to
prevent trouble, but the colored man at
tackled her. The girl struggled with the
powerful assailant and finally wrenched
herself free, with the help of Kate Meikie-
john, the older of the other two girls.
The colored assailant then turned upon
the smaller girl and grasped her about the
neck choking her. His grip was like iron,
but the little girl fought with all her frail
strength. The ruff1an threw her down on
the side OF the road with some violence.
The girl continued her struggle, and Miss
Warning bravely went to her aid 49, ,ai
Meanwhile the two small boys and the
smallest girl. Alice MeikIejohn, ran scream
ing toward the camp. The colored man evil
IDENTIFY became frightened at]the cutlery and
partially released his hold upon the child.
who jumped up, and started for the camp.
With her was. Miss. Maring.
Just as they neared the camp at the
top of the hill Kate Meiklejohn tainted from
fright and from the effects of the ordeal
which she had just been through. Miss
Waring and Alice Meiklejohn went at once
to her assistance. carrying her quickly into
the camp, where she was revived. She
was yesterday still suffering from the
shock --i.s-
Intellectual Search Made.
The cries Of the children and the bring
ing Of the unconscious girl into camp
caused a searching party to be sent out. but
no trace Of the assailant could be found
yesterday, and, as stated the affair was re.
ported to the police.
A peculiar incident following the occur
renee narrated occurred yesterday, when q
colored man went to the camp to do some
work for one Of the persons staying there
He resembled the assailant of the girls, II
was said, and when the children saw him
they became doubly frightened. and one
Of the little girls, Alice Meiklejohn, became
Ill as the result.
When Precinct Detective Estes of the
tenth precinct visited the camp yesterday
afternoon Kate Meiklejohn showed him sew
eral scratches and marks on her face and
neck, which, she stated, were inflicted by
the assailant. In giving description of the
colored ruffian the girls said he was ap-
parently about twenty-five or thirty years
old, feet 10 inches In height and weighed
about ITO pounds. He wore black trou.
sers, an old dirty shirt or jumper. and was
without hat They thought when they
first saw him that he was drunk, but they
say they did not notice the odor of liquor
when they were struggling with him. They
are not sure they could identify him.
Miss Waring has been at the camp the
greater part Of the summer, but the two
Meiklejohn girls have been there but 9
short time. They were sent out from theil
home in the city few days ago to enjoy
the fresh air and sunshine. But their pleas
ure from their stay in the country has beer
greatly marred by the unpleasant expe
rience Of last evening.
AS soon as the incident became known a.
police headquarters Lieut.. Peck dispatched
Detective Helan to make thorough inves
tigatiOn.