Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-22
CLOSE IN ON CONVICT
Avengers of Child Have Pitney
Surrounded.
NO MERCY TO BE SHOWN
Sheriff and Deputies in Posse Will
Join in Lynching.
HIS VICTIM A SCHOOL GIRL
Determined Pursuers Have Trailed
Her Assailant to Patch Of
Woodland.
NO MERCY TO BE SHOWN
IS VICTIM A SCHOOL GIRL
special Dispatch to Tho Star.

Special Dispatch to Tho Star.
MONROE. N. Y. October 22.-Two hun
dred men. armed with rifles. are on the
trail Of Charley Pitney, the assailant Of
little twelve year -old Sarah Smith. 1t is
believed they have him surrounded in a
patch of woods.
Although Chief Of Police Osterhout is in
charge Of the posse. 1t is not believed
Pitney will ever reach this town alive If
he is caught.
knew and loved the little girl who is dy-
Threats have been made openly that
when the man is caught he will be
hanged to the first tree
Not even the policemen pretend they
will try to protect him.
Ptneys is but twenty-seven. years old
yet he has served nine years Of an
eleven-year sentence in prison for SINH
lar crime.
Victim a Pretty Child.
His little victim was one of the pret-
tiest girls in this section. Her parents.
Mr.. and Mrs. Frederick Smith, have a
handsome home about a mile from this
place.
She was on her way to school after the
noon recess. Pitney, sprang upon her
from cemetery in which he was hiding
In addition to her other injuries she was
throat is closing. Her physician believes
her to be dying and declares that her re-
covery is hardly possible. :
The girl was unconscious for an hour
after the attack; When she recovered
she dragged herself on her hands and
knees to her home. There she told her
mother what had occurred. i,
DO you know the man." asked her
father.
Charles Pitney." said the girl: ~ have
seen him often.''
Then she collapsed and has been uncon-
SciOuS ever since.
Smith sent man for a physician inn
mediately. Then he threw a saddle on
arouse the authorities. Within an hour
Of the time the facts were known every
able bodied man in the village was on
Pitney's trail.
and was hunted over foot by foot. Soon
a trace Of Pitney was found.
Trail Too Hot for Him.
Leaving the cemetery. he had stolen a
bicycle. He was seen to start of in the
direction Of Greenwood lake, fourteen
miles away. The advance guard in autos
reached the lake. Then the men left the
machines and started back. examining the
country. inch by inch.
Evidently Pitney was exhausted by the
pace forced upon him. He abandoned his
wheel, which was found hidden In the
bushes by the roadside, not far from the
lake.
The pursuers believed he had doubled
back toward Highland Falls. where his
two sisters live.
The telephone. was brought into play.
While the abler of the men continued the
search the others telephoned to every
farmhouse in the country which contained
an instrument. -
This morning word comes that he has
been surrounded in a patch. OF woodland
not far from his sisters home Chief Os-
terhaut is In command Of a posse of about
fifty men.
Twelve of these are deputy sheriffs. The
remainder are young and active farmers,
every one armed with rife. who make
no oOncealment Of their intentions to
measure out q prompt vengeance to the
eI.ConYiCt.