The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-01-10
SHERIFF FOILS POSSE
Saves Suspected A;sailants Of Girl
from LynChins.
ksuo Attacks FamsT's Daughter - Posse
ROUNDED Up Five Suspects.

Five negroes, rescued from an angry
mob in Amherst county, are IN jail in
/ Campo j county, suspected OF inplica-
ton in u brutal assault, Monday after
noon. upon Miss Gladys Shelton, seven
tecn-l car-old daughter OF benjamin Shell
ton, ~ farmer living six miles north OF
/ LyucHburg, in Amherst county. The
glfl Is in Il critical condition, but knows
that one of the negroes under arrest is
her assailaut. and is ready To identity him.
Miss Shelton was dismissed from Ter
school, which is some distance from her
home, Monday forenoon, on account OF
the teacher being i'll. She stopped AT a
neighbours home on her return, remain
INK there some time, reaching her home
only short time before the arrival OF
the negro. 1t is supposed that he SAW
her and followed her.
when hc saw Mrs Shelton leave the
house to go t. u reighborng home, he
went u the house and asked the girl Tor
something to eat She WAS in the sitting
room. aud when she started to the kitch-
EN- he followed. Ii was then that she
realized the negrO's intention. To fright
en- him she called her brothers name,
hoping to make the negro think he was
in the house. The negro told her that he
knew she was alone and he pointed u
pis'ol AT her
Miss shelton made desperate fight,
but was overpowered 10y the negro, who
stifl-d herscreams. Aiterward he pinioned
the arms Of the girl and marched 10 u
stream, with the supposed intention to
drown her but after reaching thcstream
he released her Then he disappeared.
la al almost iaintiug condition, Miss
Shelton managed to make her way to thr
nearest country hOme,a quarter Of "A mile
away. Ii took her an hour 10 cover the
distance Arriving al the house she
collapsed and il was some time before
she could tell her story.
Ii was after dark before search for
the negro was begun This was kept mp
until nearly midnight, to be- resumed
again ~ light
The family physician says it will be
many days b. fore she can leave her bed
Sheriff Beard, when notified. went To
the scene. ard 10y 10 O'Clock Tuesday
morning had arrested five regroes. All a
whom work at Monroe Tor the Southern
Railway.
Alter the arrests the posse that WAS
with him, made up OF seveuty-tiye men.
wanted 10 take the negroes before Miss
shelton for Identification, but the sheriff
was sure this won'd result in lynching
and he decided to take the prisoners 10
Lynchburg. The posse objected, tut
while they were arguing among them
selves. be told the negroes 10 run for
their lives They got u start before the
posse. suspected the purpose OF tie
sheriff
The negroes ran as fast ~ tie sheriff
and his single deputy could gallOp on
their horses. For TWO miles the chase
was hot one Wine-ap. lfg station
on the Southern. was reached just in
time to board local train 10 Lynch
burg. and the prisoners reached there
shortly after 3 O'Clock.
The jail was full and they could not be-
admitted. Sheriff Beard then took them
to Campbell county Jail twelve miles
from Lynchhurg and eighteen miles from
the scena of the crime The negroes
We're employees at the divisional termi-
nails at Monroe, working at night. and
living near the HON, of Miss Shelton.
two miles from Monroe
The girl SAWS her a>sailant was either
Hudson or Lewis Miller, and that she
can identity him il she sees them to-
gethe- The crime has aroused Am
herst county.