The Washington herald., 1907-09-05
FAIL TO FIND CLEW
Police Bafiled by Mrs. Mary
Lanham'S ASSailant.
WOMAN BOUND HAND AND FOOT
Able 20 Give Fairly Good Descrip-
tiOn Of White Man Who Attacked
Her Yesterday Morning in Her
Home Near Good Hope-Escapes
Without Receiving Any Injury.

No elew as 10 the identity Of the mus
culaT white man who is said to have
gagged and assaulted Mrs. Mary Ian
ham at her home, near Good Hope. D. c..
yesterday morning, has been discovered
by the police. Several members Of the
headquarters detective force and patrol
men under Capt. Mathews, OF the Fifth
precinct station, spent yesterday search
ing for the assailant
Mrs. Lanham, who fortunately escaped
any serious injury, was able to relate the
whole occurrence TO the police yesterday.
ana also furnished them with a good de-
scription Of her assailant Although she
had but a short glance at the man be-
fore she lost consciousness. she is posi-
tive that he was a man about five feet
six or eight inches in height. and dressed
in a dark blue suit. She is also sure that
he had d sandy mustache.
Creeps Into Room.
According TO the story which the de-
teetives say she told them shortly after
their arrival at her house yesterday
morning, Mrs. Lanham went into the
basement Of the house about Il o'clock
to do some washing. She had been busily
engaged with her work for several min
utes and had her back towards the base
ment entrance, when, without warning, a
pair OF arms were thrown about her. and
jumping back she beheld a muscular man
dressed IN a blue suit He had entered
through the door which she had opened
in coming TO the basement and creeping
Btealthily across the room reached her
side
Unable TO combat with one Of such
strength, Mrs Lanham claims. she was
speedily thrown to the floor and was
pOwerless to fight off the unknown as
sailant. who held his hand over her mouth
to prevent her from screaming. Reaching
for a small child's garment which had
fallen to the floor from the place where
she had been washing. the man hurriedly
made an improvised gag, which he forced
into the woman's mouth.
Binds Hands and Feet.
Mrs. Lanham says that he then secured
several other small articles Of clothing
from the washing and, fashioning them
into a rope, tied her hands and feet.
What happened from that time until at
least a half hour later, when she regained
consciousness. Mrs. Lanham is unable to
say She managed within a short time
20 crawl 10 the other side Of the room
till she was able to a reach a hammer
and with this she beat franticaIy on
tin can. After continuing this for several
minutes. she says. the noise attracted the
attention Of her son on the floor above
He hurried to her assistance and found
her standing in the middle Of the room
with the gag still in her mouth. Her
hands were tied in front OF her and her
feet were also secured.
Escapes without Injury.
She told what had happened, and i'm
mediately steps were taken to summon
the police to the house. On their arriving
at the place. Mrs Lanham related her
neighborhood In the hope Of locating her
assailant The woman was injured In no
way.
Ta.>r in the day Mrs. Lanham told
81 p 11GCe that she believed she had seen
f.s. before. She claims that a man
-r--s his description passed her house
about six months ago. and stopped for a
long time to look at her. She also be-
lieves that the same man entered the
small store she keeps in her house Sat
urday night last and purchased two
Ioaves Of bread.
Mrs. Lanham's husband is dead, and
she lives at the Good Hope Hill house
with her two sons and one daughter.