Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08
CoIored Man Accused of In
suIting White Woman.
PURSUED BY ANGRY CROWD
Hatless and With Bleeding Face
When He Reached Station.
DENIAL OF THE ACCUSATION
Young Woman, However, Identifies
Him in Presence Of the Po-
lice Officers.

HatleSs. badly frightened and his face
bleeding, William Adams, colored. twenty
eight years Of age. stepped from the pa
troll wagon last night and entered the first
police station. He had done nothing. he
said but he felt a sense of relief when he
reached the station. A few minutes be-
fore he had been in the hands of an
angry crowd, and they had given him
rather rough trea atment. There was a
charge of disorderIy conduct preferred
against him by Miss Annie Obts. young
woman from Baltimore. who alleged that
he had insulted her Adams did not have
SIS to leave as collateral. and the police
placed him behind the bars for the night.
Il haven't said word to anybody
protested the prisoner as he stepped
back.
Policeman Billman Of the third precinct
happened to be near Sth and X streets
northwest about the time Adams reached
there. crowd of fully 500 persons were
behind him. and when he arrived at Mount
Vernon Square he was almost out Of
breath. He had been pursued by the
crowd from Sth and G streets, where the
young lady had made the accusation
against him. Somebody said something
about pocke tbook snatchers. and the
of OLA D street southeast and John Love
Jess of 2404 G street who were near Sth
and G streets and who Joined In the pur-
suit took pains to see that he did not
escape.
Says He Showed Fight.
He showed fight when we went after
him. said La Roche, telling a Star re-
porter of his experience. and there was
nothing left to do but see that he did not
get away
/ After Adams had figured in combat
with several of those who happened to be
near there La Roche said. he got up and
ran north on Sth street. dropping his hat
about the time he started to run:
When Adams was placed under arrest
by the policeman who was IN CIVILIAN at
tire. the crowd Of several hundred persons
closed about the nervous and frightened
man. but he was evidently relieved when
told that he was in the hands of the po-
lice. Shortly after the prisoner was
locked up Miss aObts appeared at the po-
lice station with Bicycle Policeman Con-
ners.
She has been visiting her sister at 224
street northwest. having been mere since
before the Christmas holidays. Last nlght
she was attired in a ballroom costume
and was on her way to dance Wnen hef
attention was attracted to the coiored
man near the corner of ith and 6 streets.
Il saw that he kept watching me, said
the young lady to Capt. Williams. and
I thought hew was going to make an enort
to get nv gold locket l tucked the locket
beneath my dress out of sight and con-
tinued to walk west on G street. When
got near the fence. inclosng the patent
office parking where it was dark, he
turned and said: Hello sweetheart and
asked me where ] was going. L threat
ened to call a policeman and he became
frightened and ran. There were two men
standing there at the time, and they start
ed after him. The colored man showed
fight. and soon they were all down on the
pavement.
Identified by Blood on Face.
Il am going to have the prisoner
brought in,'' said Capt. Williams to Miss
Obts, ''are you afraid of him?'
Indeed, l am not" the young lady re-
sponded.
Adams was brought from the cell to the
room of Capt. Williams. and Miss Obts
was asked If she recognized him.
He looks very much like the man who
insulted me-" she answered, but I could
identify him by the blood on his mouth.
anyway.
The prisoner again denied the charge,
declaring he had not followed the young
lady nor addressed her. and was returned
TO his cell. Miss Obts. told the police she
!idu u TttuTH " Ddi-
timore. and said she did not like the idea
of having to appear in the Police Court
as witness. She said she would discuss
the question with her sister however,
before she would give a final answer to
the request that she remain here and teS-
tify.
Causeless Fright in This Case.
Earlier in the night a young lady be-
came frightened at the actions of a
colored man at the corner of John Mar
shall place and D street and ran to
headquarters for assistance
II believe the colored man was going
TO grab my pocketbook.' she said ex-
cite dly. when she entered headquarters,
land I'm afraid to go home alone"
Detective McNamee heard what she
had to say and went with her in search
OF the colored man. Only few seconds
had elapsed between the time She had
been frightened and the time she reached
headquarters. Upon reaching the corner
the detective was told that the colored
man had walked across the street and
had turned to retrace his footsteps about
the time the young lady reached there.
The latter left the detective and ran
home shortly after they reached the cor
ner. saying she would not go to court
il ar arrest was made.
The colored man who had caused so
much uneasiness was found by the de =
tective. He is A man who is we'll and
favorably known in that section of the
city. He told the detective he RENE N
bered the conduct OF the young lady. but
it did not dawn upon him that she was
afraid of him