The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1908-02-28
A BLACK FlEND'S CRIME.
Attempted Assault on Young NhItc
Woman Near Roanoke.

SATURDAY ulSnt ABOUT IL .to y tAoSh q
negro by The name Of lobe Stevens,
alias Buckshine, alias Shorty, nearly :,
succeeded in Il criminal attempt upon =.
flora, the fifteen year old daughter or ,
Mr.. and Mrs. 7. b. Compton OF ,
Roanoke. and Was only prevented by
the girls screams bringing timely
assistance. ,
1t seems une negro had been em-
ployed by Mr.. Compton up to about
two weeks ago and haG become thor
oughly acquainted with the surround
ings and the sleeping apartments OF
the family. His knowledge OF the
premises was shown IN the fact that
he went to the tool house and secured
q large pair OF piucers, which, togeth'
er with d piece of wood and pocket
knife, he succeeded in making an en-
terance through the window of the
daughters room.
Immediately upon entering the room
the tiend approached the bed upon
which the girl was asleep and grabbed
her by the throat with the Intention
of choking her, telling her at the same
time, he would kill her if she made
any noise. Iu spite OF the warming
a. ,rh;,h hr,.luht the fAtl-
er upon the scene, but too late To
catch the culprit, as he made his es-
cape through the window he had 50
recently entered, AS there was no
light in the room the girl could not
see her assailant and could not
give any description OF him more
than that he was u aegr0 and had II
strong tobacco smell. MIR. Compton,
being q deputy sheriff, secured his
gun and together with MIR. Crumpack-
Or, started In parsts. The fsnd was
finally located iu the negro 1Qasr'ers
10 Roanoke, whore he he'd calmly
gone and Vas fouad asleep In bed
win Two other negroes spd upon oe'
Iins commanded 70 get up, did 80, aud
dressed, partly 10 his own clothes and
partly in clothes belonging to one "
the other negroes, also putting ON .
psir ot shoes belonging TO one OF the
other negroes, which were about three
sizes too large for him, his object be
ing 10 throw suspicion in another
! channel, as the boots he had on y
! tho time of the attempted assault b
knew would be fitted to the track
made under the window at the Comp
ton home.
After securing tho black iend to
< wagon wheel, Mr.. Compton notifies
2 Deputy Sheriff Jno. Singleton q
) Welsh, who deputized VIM. Hsrri
: aud together they went to Roanoke 7
9 get the prisoner whom they brougf
. to Welsh about one o'clock Sunda
= afternoon. Just before lea'ln
9 Roanoke the prisoner confessed
8 Deputies Singleton and Harris th'
: he was guilty, but only to the GRIN
. of attempting to steal watch wbit
. he thought was in the room.
3 Roanoke was very much wrought
= over the affair and strong talk
2 lynching was INDUCED in.
. The negro was lodged In jail he
Z awaiting the arrival of Southern t
9 cihc train No. 9, upon which they e
: pected TO take him to Lake Charles.
z All afternoon small groups OF m
9 collected on the street corners ana
. things began to Look suspicious, De
Z uties Singleton and Harris spirit
z the erisoner away and started
% Lake Charles, after having apprls
. Sheriff Reid OF their intentt
Sheriff Reid had already sent Del
pa. ties Henry Reid and Tom Sparks
,an Welsh who met the deputies Win
ese prisoner few miles out OF town
pc. together they resurnei W "'Ih'n
tho abort distance of the town and wait
ing A crowd of about 2Oo had oy
are time assembled ut the depot
and threats aud mutterlngs were neara
and every hand.
soil In the meantime the west bound IL
ANY, freight pulled in on the sidlng ano
erty passenger train No. 8 was repo'
Irse- late, the freight was given ofoeFs
for proceed.
cul. As the freight was pulling o"e
'ates Compton, the father OF the
the mounted baggage track "a" Cyl
ling tn crowd 10 disperSe aud u no'
a.,.Atn. rash, As 'ns prisoner va