The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-11-10
A ElEND CAUGHT
And Narrowly Escaped Lynehing For an
Attempted Assault
ON A LEXINGTON LADY

The Fiend Watched the Home Of
the Lady Until Her Husband Left
for His Work, When He Attacked
Her In the Yard and Knocked Her
Down and Clicked Her.
A dispatch from Lexington says
Coot Lever, the negro who attempt
ed to criminally assault the young
wife Of a prominent Dutch FORK
farmer, at her home near Piney
Woods Church Monday afternoon
between the hours Of l and 2 O'Clock,
was lodged in the Lexington jail.
by Deputy Sheriff Miller Tuesday
morning about 2 o'clock, after the
most exciting race that officer has
ever known. Lever was captured
in the house Of another negro neal
the town of Chaplin.
The train for Columbia was soon
Out. duu ~ "uS Nv AfSS
Of the officer to carry his man by
rail, but before the train arrived MT.
Miller heard the posse coming on
horseback and he at once secreteG
the negro until a buggy could be
secured. In the meantime the angr!
crowd was securing the whole neigh
borhood round about, seeking tht
whereabouts Of the deputy.
AS soon as possible Constable l.. L
Roof hitched up his horse and mel
AIR. Miller a few hundred yards away
and the journey Of fourteen milef
to the court house was begun. A:
the party rode over the rought hill:
of Dutch Fork, they often imagined
that they heard the sound of horses
feet right behind, and by the use
Of the whip the horse was made &c
increase his speed. When the rivel
was reached, 1t was found that tn:
ferryman, Mr.. James Wise, had gone
'possum hunting. Realizing that nc
time must be lost, Mr.. Miller tolt
the wife of the ferryman that NJ
would leave the fat on the othe.
side, and the river was crossed.
Almost before the officers hao
crossed, however, they heard the
crowd ride up to the banks of the
river on the opposite side. But tn
fat was gone, and their plans were
again foiled for the time being. B!
the time the parties on horseback
crossed the river, the officers hac
almost reached Lexington. How
ever, In the hope of overtaking the
men with the negro, eight of TIM
party rode on to Lexington, arriv'
ing there about fifteen minutes afte'
the officers. They rode up to the
Jail armed to the teeth. and aske'
about the negro, but no attempt a.
violence was shown.
While Deputy Sheriff Miller was
talking to the crowd, Constable
Roof had Lever hid away Iii tht
garden, the posse arriving before
the negro could be placed in Il cell
Some Of the horseback riders hat
come the whole distance of eigh'
teen miles bareback, so determined
were they to bring vengeance upor
the assailant's head. The negro was
kept in the Jail until news was re-
,ceived that a mob vas forLAing
when he was removed to the Peni
Tertiary just in time to avert al
attack upon the Jail.
Story Of the Crime.
Monday between IL and l o'clock
the negro was seen to walk quietly
by the home OF the woman, but nc
attention was paid to this at the
time. AS soon as the husband OF
the woman had gone 10 the field
to plough, the negro returned and
made his way into the yard, where
the woman was hanging up clothes,
He made a most vicious attack
knocking the woman down by a Sc.
we're blow with his fist. He grabbed
her around the throat. and choked
her down, the finger nails Of the
brute bringing the blood from her
neck. With almost superhuman eS-
fort the woman cried aloud TO her
husband, and the negro left before
accomplishing his fendish purpose.
To the officers Lever has confessed,
laying the blame to what he calls
a Root Doctor" He says that he
owed the doctor a bill, and being
unable to pay it. the doctor told
him that he would cause him to get
in trouble. He says that he was
"%conjured." and could not help 1t.
Lever is Of a light gingercake COL
or. and is under 80. He has been
working for different people in the
community, last for Mr.. Chas. P.
Robinson. Of Chaplin, where he turned
up later.