The Washington times., 1912-07-23
SEARCHING CAPITAL
FOR THE ASSA|LANT
OF VIRGINIA WOMAN
Mrs. Maud Hoffman, of
Near Addison, in Crit
ical Condition.

Fsiling in their effort to connect
Sidney Archer, the colored suspect held
at the Alexandria county Jail. with the
brutal assault committed yesterday on
Mrs. Maud Hoffman. a young married
woman, near Addison Station, Va, two
miles south Of Washington, a crime
which has stirred the entire county, the
Alexandria county authorities are to-
day concentrating their search in this
city, being certain that the assailant Of
the woman made his escape this way.
The man-hunt conducted all yesterI
day for Mrs. Hoffman's assailant has
been discontinued with the hope that
the local police, aided by the good
description of the miscreant given by
his victim. will eventually locate the
man here.
Deputy Sheriff George F. Marcy. in
whose district the crime was COM
mitted, came to Washington this morn
ing. and after holding a conference
with the local authorities declared that
he believed the mans capture would
only be a matter Of hours. He de-
clined to state that the authorities were
in possession of information that actu-
ally solves the identity of the man.
In Critical Condition.
Mrs. Hoffman, who is the wife of
Edward L. Hoffman, a paperhanger Of
this city. is still in a critical condition
from her experience. Her husband and
physicians fear that the assault per-
petrated upon the young woman may
cause a nervous breakdown.
It will be an easy matter. the authori-
ties declare, to identify the woman's as
sailant when he is arrested. During her
fight with the man Mrs. Hoffman bit
and scratched him to such an extent
she declares that he could not have
escaped without some evidence of the
attack.
The attack on Mrs. Hoffman occurred
shortly after 8 o'clock yesterday morn
Ing. Several visitors had just left her
home when colored man came from
behind a clump Of bushes and asked her
the way to store. She told him that she
did not know, whereupon the man tried
to engage her in conversation regarding
the price of berries. The man gradually
approached, and when Mrs. Hoffman be-
came frightened and started to run he
grabbed her and threw her down.
Stuffed Mouth With Grass.
She tried to make an outcry. where
upon her assailant stuffed her mouth
with grass. The woman fought the man
50 desperately with her finger nails and
teeth that he finally gave up ard beat
retreat. 1t was several minutes be-
fore she could extricate the grass from
her mouth and sound a warning
AS soon as neighbors in the vicinity
learned Of the assault a posse was
formed and a search instituted for the
man. Scores of men and boys in the
upper part of the county Joined in the
search and dire threats were made
against the woman's assailapt.
Shortly after the hunt started col
ored laborer in one of the brick yards
not far from the HOFFMAN home was
taken into custody, but released on the
declaration of Mrs. Hoffman that he
was not the man.
Gave Himself Up.
Sidney Archer. the suspect held at thu
Alexandria county jail for Identification
was arrested when he made his appear
ance in the Alexandria city police sta
ton last night. He bears no marks o
a struggle the authorities say, but an
swers in detail the description given o
Mrs. Hoffman's assailant.
Archer walked into the station hous
and said that he heard the police wer
looking for him, but did not know 70
what they wanted him. He denied an!
knowledge Of the assault and declared
that he can prove an alibi to the effec
that he was in another part of tn
county when the crime took place.