The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-10-26
DETAILS OF CRIME
!EIE FIEND ONLY ATTEMPTED
THE AWFUL CRIME.

The Scoundrel Eluded Those Who
Were Searching for Him, But He
VIII Be Caught.
We are glad to know that the
Hend who attempted an assault on a
white lady near Springfield did not
accomplish his hellish purpose, but
was scared off by the resoIute ac-
eion Of the lady herself. 4 letter
from Sprinfeld says Arthur Bowen.
which Is the name or the would-be
9end, is accused of an attempted
criminal assault, which was COM
mitted in that section, Monday at
noon, on . prominent white married
lady living in Ihickly settled COM
munitE, several neaghbors living
within plain view, and not over two
hundred yards away.
Arthur Bowen had been working
for this family all Of this year.. Mon-
day, the husband Of the lady as
saulted left home on some business
and left the negro man picking. cot
tom near the house. About the same
hour the men folks OF the twn near
est neighbors left for some farm du-
ties away from home. Seizing the mo-
that, perhaps, he had been
waiting for, it is said that he enter
ed the house and attempted tor COM
init tho crime above mentioned
On being driven from the home,
it seems that Bowen went back to
the cotton field, but on the approach
of the husband Of the outraged lady,
he dropped his cotton sack, walked
rapidly to his house, secured his
gun and made for a nearby swamp,
thereby making at least a temporary
escape. AS soon as the news reached
Springfield, a large body Of. men
started a hunt for the negro, but up
to early tonight he had not been
captured,
A posse left Springfield Tuesday
night, going towards COLUMBIA. with
the object of endeayering tG locate
Bowen. This move was caused by the
statement Of a negro woman, who
says that she saw Bowen on the rail-
road track, about eight miles from
Soringfield, about 10 o'clock Tues
day morning, According to the wo-
man, Bowen was going In the d1-
rection of Columbia
A posse left Springfield Tuesday
night to follow up this clue, and en-
deavor to locate the negro, who. it
Is thought is making for q big cot
ton picking" on the plantation Of a
prominent farmer. Should Bowen
be located it is planned for another
posse to leave Springfield Wednes-
day morning before daylight and as
sist in his capture Automobiles and
other conyeyances are being used in
the chase after the suspected negro.
The citizens of Springfield seem
determined to capture Bowen. even
If it be necessary to follow him to
the ends of the earth. A descrip-
ton of the negro, with an offer of
reward, has been sent to all the
leading papers, chiefs Of police and
other officers of the law. Arthur
Bowen Is small, dark, ginger-cake
coIored negro, about 80 years old;
small, stubby, black mustache, small
black eyes; small hands and feet;
weight about 145; height feet, S
or s inches.
A dispatch from Aiken says three
armed members Of the mob. which
Monday night patroled the swamp
In the vicinity OF Springfield. In
search Of the negro, Arthur Bowen.
who, 1t is alleged, attempted to
criminally assault white woman
near Springfield Monday, arrived in
Aiken Tuesday morning on the 12.4O
train and organized posse to con-
tlnue a search for the negro. who is
believed to have escaped into the
eastern portion Of this county.
One member of the party is bro
ther of the young woman who was
the victim Of the alleged iendish at
tempted Monday morning about IL
o'clock, while his sister was alone in
the yard. The young lady struggled
so violently and screamed for help
so earnestly that the negro became
frightened and fed before he could
accomplish his dfabolical purpose,
the young man continued
The alarm quickly spread
throughout the surrounding COM
munity, and a posse Of angry, deter
mined men soon formed and began
she chase. Following the supposed
trail of the assaulter, they were
led to q dense swamp. Confident
that their man was concealed in the
depths Of the dense mass, they sur
rounded the swamp and patrolled 1t
Throughout the night. At break of
day the grim pickets began to close
In to the centre, but the object of
their search was not there: he had
either never sought refuge within
the swamp, or had eluded their vigi-
lance, leaving behind him no traces
whatsoever.
Determined to capture the alleged
would-be rapist and mete out the
usual punishment, ire men have
usual abandoned the search, but have
sub-divided themselves into smaller
Tboso hava bpaO dix