Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-05-07
NEGRO BRUTE
TRIES ASSAULT
Breaks Into Residence Of George
Hayward ESQ.,, and Attacks
His Two Daughters.

Sam Williams, colOred, probably owes
his life TO the lack of skill of Miss
Florence Hayward IN handling ham
merless shot gun last Saturday night.
And again he was fortunate that the
public did not know of the crime he had
attempted to commit before he was safe
ly lodged in Jail.
Sam Williams is dad negro" He
has been arrested many times and has
served time in the House of Correction
for attempting criminal assault upon
his grandmother.
Last Saturday afternoon he came to
Snow Hill. as was his custom, and dur
ing the hours between noon and sunset
he became intoxicated, but not so much
so that casual observer would notice
it, but just enough so to bring the Turk
ing devil in him to the outside and nerve
him for the preparation of revolving
crime. Another colored man persuaded
him to accompany him over the river
bridge and to the town limits TO keep
him from getting into the trouble he
was seeking. He stopped along the
fence surrounding the farm of George
Hayward, ESQ. A colored woman came
along and he insulted her. Her husband
came along few minutes later and re-
buked him for his act. Then they talk
ed it over and in the course of their
conversation it is said that Williams
boosted what his relation with some
white woman was going to be. He left
the other man who warned him that he
had better be careful or he might get
into trouble. But he had set purpose
and he could not be swerved from it.
1t was shortly after sunset and Miss
Florence Hayward and Miss Mary Hay
ward were sitting on the front porch
talking when they heard noise appar-
emily on the back shutter Of the dining
room. They paid very little attention
/ to it until they heard the noise repeated.
They then went into the house and took
seats in the dining room. In a few
minutes thereafter someone began to
pound on the shutter as if trying to
break in. This was followed by fusi-
lade Of bricks against the shutter which
was broken in and the window glass
smashed. A brick then came into the
room and fell at the feet of Mr.. Hay
ward. The young ladies took their father
to the sitting room, and they had barely
gotten in the room when smash went
the sitting room window. Mr.. Hay
ward and his two daughters then went
to the second story for safety. The old
gentleman is very feeble and his pro-
gress was slow. When they had reached
the upper rooms Miss Florence armed
herself with bed Stat and prepared to
defend the house against the intruder.
Williams was the man. He was furi-
Gus to get at his intended victims. So
he climed to the top of the porch and
broke in one of the upper windows with
brick. Miss Florence drove him back
with the bed Stat and then the young
ladies and their father went back down
stairs. Miss Florence then secured a
gun and loaded it, but she did not I'M
derstand its action and placed the trig-
ger at safety every time, and of course
could not fire it. Finally she threw the
gun aside. ran out of the house and
across wheat field to the home of Mr..
Harry Perdue, mile away.
Miss Mary remained in the sitting
room with her father. Williams went
to the window of that room and threw
in another brick. Miss Mary and her
father fled to the hall. at one end of
which is recess in which she pushed
her father and partially concealed her.
self. Williams climbed in the sitting
room window and stood in the door lead
ing into the hall. He then commenced
to throw bricks at Miss Mary, one Of
which struck her on the hip and another
in the breast. but she lodged many 9TH
ers. Finally. she secured bed Stat and
with it in one hand and lighted lamp
in the other she started for Williams.
He ran into the sitting room and jumped
out the window and again began throw
ing bricks at Miss Mary. The floor of
the house and hall was covered with
them. She gathered up pile. and then
commenced brick battle between the
brave young lady and the black rascal.
He smashed the glass of the front door
and attempted to gain an entrance that
way, but she held fast to the door and
braced herself against the newell post
of the stairs. Thus she kept him at bay
while he insulted her and told Of the pur
pose of his visit. He tried to strike her
down with pieces Of firewood. He en-
deavored to break the docr in with
large fodder pole. She told him her
brothers were coming and they would
kill him. Then came pistol shot, and
Mr.. Perdue appeared on the scene with
Miss Florence. Williams flew from the
place before he could be shot or captur-
ed by Mr.. Perdue, who was afraid Of