Evening star., 1908-01-29
NEGRO M|SCREANT
ADMITS CHARGE
lohn Harden in Custody fol-
Assault and Robbery.
IS UNDER STRONG GUARD
Maryland Authorities Take Precau-
tions Against Lynching.
PRELIMINARY HEARING GIVEN
Heinous Outrage Upon Mrs. Maggie
Buggie Near Owing's Station.
Gross Ingratitude.

John Harden. colored. has been
placed in custody on the charge of
criminalIy assaulting and robbing
Mrs. Maggie Buggie. widow,
near Mt. Harmony. station on
the Chesapeake Beach railroad.
He is said to have confessed that
he committed the dual crime. and
is being held under guard at Mt
Harmony. At the preliminary
hearing at Mt. Harmony this aft
.ernoon the prisoner was held
without bail. 1t is stated that as
A precautionary measure the pris-
oner will be conveyed to Balti-
more Jail. but on account OF the
bad condition OF the roads this
was impossible today
Special From Stan Correspondent.
OWINGS. Md. January aa-"Thank
God" exclaimed Mrs. Maggie Buggie. the
victim OF yesterdays outrage and rob-
berry. near Mount Harmony. on the Chesa-
-peske Beach railroad. when a Star re-
porter today told her of the arrest Of her
7assailant brutal looking negro named
john Harden. The particulars of the
brutal crime were given exclusively in The
Star. The frail woman clasped her hands
as she made the foregoing exclamation
.nd asked the newspaper man if there was
any danger OF Harden escaping from the
81, -. Il
on that point. and being told that the cul-
prit will be held at Mount Harmony to-
night and will be taken TO Baltimore and
Jailed there tomorrow she expressed great
satisfaction.
The prisoner reached Mount Harmony
late this afternoon in custody of Sheriff
Mead. and was given a preliminary hear
ing there before Magistrate William Ward.
who held him without bail for the May
term of the court.
1t is believed TO he best to get Harden
out OF the country as soon as possible
lest the citizens get together and lynch
him. He is said to have confessed to
.the crime alleged. and that he had pre-
viously been guilty Of similar offense.
But few persons in this section knew of
tie capture o. Harden last night and
when the Information came to OwinSs and
other places in this vicinity this MORN
ing surprise vas expressed that the cu-
prit had not been lynched.
Harden's Ingratitude.
Mrs Buggie. the victim. in conversation
with a Star representative, said Harden
came to her home New Year day, he hav-
ing been in the county but two weeks He
said he had come from Baltimore on the
steamer Maggie. and had experience on
oyster boats He Informed her also that
his home was in Raleigh y. G., where
he had been raised by Mr. Harris. and
later had lived al the home of DIR. Nc
Cullough.
The man was barefooted and suffered
for want of clothes when he applied to
Mrs. Buggie for employment. He was
hungry also and in generally wretched
condition. Mrs. Buggie was moved to
sympathy by the fellows bad plight and
took him in a matter of mercy, she
says. playing the part of Good Samaritan.
She bought shoes and clothing for him
and gave him comfortable place down
stairs TO sleep. She said he had never
said an improper word to her until yes
terday morning, when he broke into her
room armed with AK and shotgun and
t.riminaliy assaulted her.
The man, Mrs. BuggIe said. had shown
signs of dissat isfaction Sunday and Mon
day and left her employ, but came back
again The morning OF the assault and
robbery she heard him moving about down
stairs. lie then came TO her door and
asked her what tlfnS II was.
1T is yet early III the morning. Mrs.
Buggie replied. The roosters have not
yet crowed.
Mrs Buggie ,hen repeated the story Of
the criminal act the hired man perpe-
trated.
Threats of Lynching.
Lynch him.' was the cry raised i'll
this section when il became known yes
terday that Mrs. Buegie had been Grim
inallv assaulted.
why should the county be put 10 the
expense OF trying a man for such an of
fense? asked one Of the leading resi-
dents Of this section. Its bad ex-
ample" he added, ito pat such fellow
IN tail give him trial and let him die
bravely upon the scaffoid. Such trial
would cost the taxpayers more tnan
81 .toc. What should be done with him
is to riddle him and leave him upon the
road. and not even go to the trouble Of
swinging him TO a tree.
Mrs. Buggie rea ched the station here
from Mount Harmony early yesterday
morning to tell her story and stop pay
ment of the check taken from her. Pay
uent was stopped by telephoning the
firm OF Walter Brown e. Son. in Wash
ington. makers of the check. and the
bank upon which the check was drawn.
James h. Hardisty. a neighbor. went
10 Marlboro 10 spread the news of the
crime and have the officers there be on
the lookout for Hadden. All the tele-
phones in the county were kept busy dur
ing the day. and later in the night il
was announced that the culDrit had been
apprehended at Barstow. Mr.. Harry =.
Owiaes proprietor OF the hotel at this
place kept busy answering message
cf inquiry about the crime.
MIR. owings was IN communication with
Sheriff Mead States Attorney Parran and
others Al Prince Frederick. and advised
that the prisoner be brought here last
night in order that he might be started
' away on the Chesapeake Beach train
today TO be taken to Baltimore for safe
keeping
What is the sentiment I'm your par,
of the county, Mr.. Owings was asked
by tho several county officials. and he
said that but lew persons about here
were acquainted with the facts The
story OF the crime was repeated by Mr.
OUings al least twenty times during the
early hours OF the evening
Record of the Prisoner.
While bat ve-y little is known in this
SECTION about the prisoner. it is generally
S'Ontinued on Second Pace1