The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-08-20
TRICK IHWARTED A MOB
Negro Who Escaped Burr-
Ing GasOIene Taken to
a Safe Place.
VICTIM TELLS STORY
marrow Escape from a Lynching at
Huntington, l.. Mrs. Louisa
Gervasini is Too Ill After Terrible
Encounter To BE Removed to Her
Home--AccUsed Spirited Away.

Huntington. l.. l.. Aug. 10
George Washington, the negro vbs
was rescued by members of Troop C.
OF Brooklyn, from an angry crowd
planning to burn him alive by food.
ing the small Jail with gasoIene
waived examination on the charge of
having attacked Mrs. Louisa Gerva-
SIM, employed at the Chateau des
beaux-Arts, and was spirited away to
the county jail at Riverhead. there to
await action by the Grand Jury
His victim is in critical condition
and the attending physician has for
hidden her removal to her home. p
mile distant.
washington, who is married. and
Who served a sentence of two veors
for an attack on Miss Allen six wears
ago, and who less than a year ago
was fined s25 for similar brutality
toward a negro woman. owes his es-
cape from death more to the pres
ence Of another prisoner. James Fitzy
gerald, than to the militia.
Twenty-Five gallons of gasolene
mad been carried to the Jail. and the
storming party intended to burn the
negro after they got him from his
cell. When they battered through
the outer door and were stopped at
the second they determined to food
the small building and apply the
match. This plan was abandoned.
however, when they were told there
was another prisoner in the place.
rhen they renewed the attack on the
second door, when they were put to
hight by the appearance of the
troops.
Mrs. Gervasini was attacked about |
4 O'Clock p. m, as she was on her
way home with her little daughter
marguerite. Half a mile from the
Chateau she came upon two negroes.
one OF whom took no part in the
light.
Il was afraid" she said when r
saw the bigger of the men come to-
ward me. When he grabbed me I
cried out for help, but he got me by
the throat and threw me TO the
ground. l fought him of and got
20 my feet, when he grabbed me
sgain. this time by the hair and
throat, and again got me down.
begged and pleaded with him to
90 away and leave me, but he Jump
20 on me and tore me about the
ace and throat. All this time 7 was
sraying for help. / got to my feet
ana then | saw my little girl and my
'as containing one hundred dollars
n money were gone.
All this time we were aettinp ,
learer to the Chateau, and when I ,
'ot TO Bustanoby's land l told him. ,
Now you'll get yours, and threw the
wo dollar bill l had at him. He :
,rabbed 1t and made off. The next >
hing l knew friends came and took ,
ne TO the Chateau. They had come
boxing for me when my little baby
ad reached the place. Soon after ,
nsy brought the negro to me to iden-
NY him. / was sorry 1 was not in ,
~ room at home. l have a revolver
mere and there would have been no
nance for my friends to have tried
D lynch him later.
washington was captured by men I
'om the Chateau, who, after finding
is victim, had started out in an au- 5
At dinner time, when the employees
the Chateau we're sure to be oc- l
ipied. the Constable drove with the h
egro In a closed carriage to the rail- Il
'sd station. They took round- b.
bout route and arrived Just as the II
ain for Riverhead pulled in. White t,
lrned the rig over to one of his men, tc
no was waiting for him, and jump r,
| aboard the train with his man. W
hey were we'll on their way to the re
'unty seat, before any one in the a
wn knew what was going on. V,
| n,