The Cairo bulletin., 1907-02-14
STATE IS AROUSED
OVER ASSAULTS
REWARD OFFERED FOR RUF.
FANS WHO ENTER HOMES
AND DRUG WOMEN.
BLOODHOUNDS ARE USED
To Trail Down Mysterious Assailants
Wealthy Citizens in Virginia
Search in Vain for
the Castards.


Washington. Feb. 13.-The whole
state of Virginia is in a ferment of
intense and dangerous excitement
over the recent series of mysterious
/ a tacks upon two young students Of
female seminary and other unmar.
] red women at Gordonsyille, mail
town populated with wealthy ami lc,
fined people and lying between Wash
/ ington and Richmond.
The ruffains gained entrance in the
small hours Of morning to the homes
4 of the young women in the absence
/ of male relatives Of gua,diaas. and n
/ the case Of two girl students, chloro-
formed ther victims They then left
/ The house in way demonstrating
that they We're entirely familiar with
I its interior ana vanished. There wa
no robbery committed.
Boodhounds were placed on the
/ trail but an intervening snow do
istroved the scent Then Gordon willie
deha ed whether The men sought lived
/ in the town and decided that they
probably do. A reward of $1,000 for
their Identification was then offered.
Meanwhile the town and entire state
is awaiting repitft.on Of the attacks
in Gardonsvilla and elsewhere and ihe
frent and back doors Of Virginia are
locked and barred closer than they
have been s.nee the civil war.
Mystery in Attacks.
An clement Of myslesy surrounds
all of The attacks and The local viz
! einia police have been able to do
nothing.
| The first attack was committed at
1.-The home oi the Rev r.. A. Meade.
who boards several Students of the
| female institute. The minister was
| cut Of town on vacation ana the
hopsa was occupied exclusively by
young women.
The morning after the attack the
two girls without consulting the
local police. hurriedly sent for their
parents in a nearby Virginia village
The Young women were taken home
ana it was not until a week later that
the police were notified.
In he meantime. however. Other
houses had been entered. presumably
by the same persons. Edward Daven. /
port. an employe of the Chesapeake !
& Ohio railroad. was out Of town.
leaving his two daughters and an in
valid brother in charge of the house, |
Shartly after midnight the invalid |
heard a smothered scream from
room occupied by one of the young /
women He hurried up tairs and (,
rushing to her assistance found the /
young woman unconscious He urnc1 /
lust in time 10 see men. munlel to /
the forehead. running down the back !
stairs Hc gave the alarm and in |
moment the entire neiehborhood was
aroused. But the assa.lanis had es-
capel and there was no further clcw 1
han pcnknifo and vial containing /
chloroform on the floor.
Doo Saves Women.
Following that an aftempt was
made to enter the nome of state Lii
brariau Sr7f npar bv Mr. Scott was
in Richmond and tho house was occu- .
uied by the female member of the .
family. A collie dog forced the assa.l F..
ans fo retreat
Taaa the home Of ". 4. HlaEv. q .
local e-arekeeycr who was also abb .
cont. was tried Ms Hlakr and t-o ,
daughters were within. When they
heard the rrfians trying TO enter .
fbov shouted and frightened them off .
That fH4rr "a 60 o. hs~ cl4.- lHf thar .