The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-06-04

The negro who made the atrocious
assault on Miss Higginbotham ap-
parently knew of her customary return
from Philadelphia He had been watch
ing her. Neighbors say that they saw
him lettering about the vicinity each
evening for a week, and one resident
recalls having seen the strange negro
follow her down the dark and shaded
lane, at the end of which is her home,
one of the finest in Woodbury.
Attack Carefully Planned.
His attack upon her had been thor
oughly planned. He had concealed
himself in the shrubbery at the side
of the lane. dozen yards from where
Miss Higginhotham left the trolley car
When she came up to him the car had
gone far on its course, and she was
alone As she walked rapidly down the
dark lane, under the overhanging trees,
the negro suddenly pounced out upon
her. telling her with vicious blow in
the face with fist armored with brass
knucllles
As her body touched the ground she
sprang to her feet. The negro at
tackled her again. and this time he
hammered her on the head with a
heavy weapon, perhaps a section of
gas pipe or the butt of revolver. She
fought him as best she could, scream
ing all the time. One of his blows
on her head knocked her unconscious,
and as she fell the negro heard the
door of her own home opened. Her
father, who had been sitting near a
window. heard her screams, and the
negro saw him come out on the porch
.,,,l, !.
steps into the lane, the negro seeing
that his capture was imminent, aban-
doned his victim as he was cruelty
beating her face with his weapons. and
ran out onto the trolley tracks,
Eludes Pursuers.
A florist near there and other resi-
dents, who had heard the young won-
ans frantic screams, saw the negro
running down the trolley tracks and
pursued him They followed him until
he reached the Court House square,
mile from the scene of his crime, and
there he disappeared. 1t is believed
that he darted through the basement of
the Court House, out the back door and
then made for the open country east
of town.
After Miss Higginbotham had been
carried into her home the news of the
assault spread rapidly through the town,
and inside of half hour the streets
were filed with angry men. Sheriff
Wilson organized a posse, swearing in
all citizens as deputy sheriffs, and the
search for the negro was begun. One
branch of the posse took up the trail
at the court house and started out
through the country east of town. That
posse remained out all night, searching
the country for many miles around.
Threaten to Burn Him.
This section of the State has never
witnessed such excitement, at least not
in the present generation Talk was
free that the cuIprit would not be
given an ordinary Iynehing. such
being hanged to a telegraph pole. but
that there were not sufficient officers
in the state to prevent the burning
of the negro Mt the stake In the Court
House square. In fact, it is said that
certain radical residents have the stake
all ready and are prepared to execute
the threat the minute the guilty wretch
is produced
Sheriff Wilson fears that the crowds
will take his prisoner from him when
he gets him. and is contemplating call
on the state for troops to help him pro-
tect the negro.
LAST wEEK OF HUNGARIAN
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