The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-03-15
TEACHERS AssA1LANT CAUGHT
Negro Accused of Attacking Miss
Pittman Arrested-Traced by
observation-disclosures Did not
Succeed in his At
tempt.

tempt.
News and Courier.
Marion, March 12.-The negro,
Nathan Mclean, who attempted to
assault Miss Estelle Pittman, the
music teacher of Oak Grove School,
in upper Marion county, yesterday
afternoon, was captured at Dillon at
a very early hour this morning.
There seems to be very little doubt
that he is the guilty one. Circum-
stances were strongly against him,
and, while he did not admit his guilt,
he is said to have made statements
which were very incriminating. When
first arrested he was lodged in the
Dillon guard house, but was soon
taken out by Chief of Police Gilmore
Smith and Deputy Wiggins and hur-
ried out of town, ostensibly to be
brought to Marion Jail, but instead
he was taken to the Hamer station, a
distance of six miles, where they
boarded train for Fayetteville, N.
c., and here lodged him in Jail.
News of the crime did not reach
Marion until very late hour yester-
day afternoon. 1t is understood that
it was not reported earlier to the
sheriff, for the reason that it was
thought that the criminal would be
caught during the afternoon, and
there would be an opportunity to
lynch him without being molested by
the sheriff.
Just across from this store, kept by
a Mr.. Parper, stands the Oak Grove
School house, where flourishing
school is taught, with Miss Leila Ber-
ry as principal, and in which Miss
Pittman is the teacher Of music. The
surrounding country is very thickly
populated, and there is very little
wooded land. 1t is natural, therefore,
to suppose that when this girl Of 1S
! left the school room for her boarding
place at Mr.. Levi Wilmington 5, she
did so without the least apprehension
of possible danger awaiting her.
Story of the Crime.
The story of the crime as learned
from prominent citizen and friend
of the young lady, who had just talk
ed with her, was that she left the
school room at about o'clock, her
duties as music teacher having been
Finished; that she was alone, walk
ing along slowly, reading a book.
While passing through wooded Sec
tion Of the road, about quarter of
mile from the school house, she mott
ced a negro man in the woods, 60
ing in the same direction as herself,
but approaching the road gradually.
She said that at first she paid no at
tention, but soon became somewhat
alarmed, but, thinking that there
was no one near enough to hear her if
she made an outcry, she determined
to put on brave front and walked
little faster.
She realized that it was useless to-
try to escape by running, and hoped
until the negro was within a few feet
of her that he would pass by, when,
without saying word, he sprang,
grasping her by the throat with one
| hand and around the waist with the
other.
Resisted the Attack.
Here is where her wonderful cour-
age and determination to fight to the
last stood her in good stead. Although
she could not scream, she could use
both hands, and this she did to good
purpose. The struggle did not last
long, but it seemed an age to her be-
! fore for. some reason he seemed to
become alarmed and loosened his
grip, when she ran with all her might
toward her boarding house, which was
: three-quarters of mile distant.
Before reaching there she was
thoroughly exhausted but bravely
! held out until she reached the house,
and told Of her terrible experience.
Two men were ploughing in the field
nearby and had just been passed by
Miss Pittman before she was attack
ed. They had seen the young lady
coming down the road, and had also
seen the negro, but thought of no dan
Ger, and when the attack was made
they were at the other end of the
field 49,.