Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-26

Prince George county. yesterday States
Attorney Magruder heard the story of
Ford's alleged attack upon Miss Florence
V. Harvey last Friday afternoon. Miss
Harvey was accompanied to Marlboro by
her father and Deputy Sheriff Garrison,
the latter having gone there to present
the warrant and procure the requisition
papers to present to Gov. Crothers.
The young woman was still suffering
from nervousness and from the injuries
she had received at the time she was at
tackled, and 1t was with considerable diff
hcuity that she rehearsed the story of
her awful exp arience. She explained that
she had been to the store and made some
purchases, and repeated the particulars
already printed of her return home and
of her meeting with the negro.
Il saw the COlOred man coming along
the road she said. but l paid no more
| attention to him than would have paid
! to any other colored man. l didn't know
him, and was not even looking at him
when he grabbed me-
Gives Way to Hysteria.
The child recited the details Of her ex-
perience while in the hands of her as
sailant, frequently giving way to hysteri-
cal attacks, and when she had finished
her story States Attorney Msgruder
looked up the law in the case
l. Miss Harvey told the prosecuting at
tOrney that the negro had his hand be-
hind him when she saw him approaching,
but she was unable to tell what he car
ried in the hand, although the subsequent
circumstances convinced her Ii was a
knife. her finger having been cut while
She was struggling with him.
Sh. declared she bit his finger and that
he struck her. Ford threatened to kill
her il she made an outcry, she stated, and
she was thoroughly frightened.
Death Penalty Incurred.
States Attorney Magruder found that
a recent act Of the legislature provides
the death penalty for the offense charged,
and he prepared the reQuisition papers
which contain a request of the governor
Of the state for the surrender of the pris-
oner to an officer of that jurisdict on.
The penalty for the crime in Maryland
being SO much more severe than that
prescribed for the offense charged against
Ford In this city, the Maryland officers
were sure their request for custody OF
the negro would be granted.
States Attorney Magruder communi-
Gated with United States Attorney Baker
over the long-distanSe telephone yester-
day. The two discussed the case, but
Mr.. Baker was unable to give a decided
answer as to what course he will pur-
sue when the paper Is presented. Deputy
Sheriff Garrison returned to Hyattsviile
|
finished. but the papers reached him
early this morning. He will present them
to the governor at the earliest oppor-
tunity.
Precautions Against Lynching.
Deputy Sheriff Garrison told Star re-
porter today that he would take Ford
of his being surrendered on the requisi-
II
had expressed the belief that he could
county jail at Upper Marlboro. Garri-
son said he thought the wiser plan
would be to take the prisoner from this
city to Baltimore and run no risk of his
being taken from Jail by a mob.
1t is possible that Chief Judge Briscoe
will order a special session OF the grand
jury and of the court in case OF the
surrender of the prisoner by the District
authorities. The question of RECOMMENDING
the grand jury will not be determined
has passed upon the requisition. Should
Ford be surrendered to the Maryland au-
thorities the question of an early trial
at Marlboro will then be settled.
those living in the vicinity Of Landover
and Glendale. are clamoring for spe-
cial session Of the court. Ford they
argue. has confessed his guilt and they
see no reason why his trial should be
put off until the April term.
Demand Speedy Trial.
1.-The only reason that could possibly
be advanced for putting off the trial."
said a resident of the county to a Star
reporter this morning, would be the mat
ter Of expense, but the people should not
be compelled to wait for such reason
Perpetrators Of such Crimes" he ad-
ded, SHOULD be given immediate trial
and speedy punishment. There is no rea-
son for long delays in trials for such
crimes, and when the state shows a dis
position to dispose of them speedily there
Is less likelihood Of mob violence being
attempted"
The feeling in the upper part of the
county against Ford is very bitter. There
are some persons living not far from the
seat Of the crime who still talk of talk
ing the law in their own hands,. al
though the county officers feel that by
the time the preliminaries are over such
persons Will have lost their desire to
lynch Ford.
Declines to Plead.
Il haven't anything to say. No use to
say anything, as everybody Is against me.
and 1T would make no difference what I
said" sullenly responded Walter Ford.
the negro charged with highway robbery
and attempted assault by the grand jury,
when arrafgned today before Justice
Gould in Criminal Court No. 1.
Ford was arrested Friday night as he
fled from band of irate residents ~
Maryland, by whom he is charged with
attacking Florense Harvey the sixteen
year-old daughter Of Landover farmer.
Justice Gould directed Clerk Eawken to
enter plea of not guilty. When the court
learned that Ford had no counsel nor the
means of securing any he assigned Attor-
neys John E. Laskey and Rudolph TT.
Yeatman to defend the prisoner
No date has been set for the trial hut
the case will be called as soon as nrac-
ticable. ,.
Ford Sullen Before Court.
Ford was brought into court by two
deputy marshals this morning and stood
sullen and apparently unmoved at the
bar while the clerk read to him the two
indictments. When the reading of the