Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-26
Assailant About to Make His Escape
When Captured by Police.
VICTIM SUFFERS FROM SHOCK
Resting Fairly Comfortable at Cas-
ualty Hospital Today-Prisoner
Named Nathaniel Green.

at Casualty Hospital today. Her worst
injury is a broken jawbone. but she is
also suffering from nervous shock, and is
on the verge of nervous prostration.
Nathaniel Green. her assailant, was
measured and photographed at police
headquarters this morning. and later re-
turned to the fifth precinct station house
to be held until he is taken to Police
Court tomorrow morning to be committed
to Jail.
United States District Attorney Wilson
has taken the matter under investigation
and has detailed Assistant District Attor-
ney Harvey Given and Detective Helen
to aid in the investigation. 1t Is also
probable that the case will be given to
he grand jury late this afternoon. and If
this is done the case will be called for
trial early in January.
When Mrs. Grant was rescued from
the colored man by Policeman f. V. Wall
and DR.. William j. r. Thonssen of 315 c
street southeast she was hardly able to
tell the story Of her experience in the
areaway in front of the house of larry
Ellis. 312 street southeast. She was not
questioned at length. however, DR.
Thonssen insisting that she be hurried
to the hospital.
Recently Suffered Nervousness.
Mrs. Grant had only recently recovered
from an attack of nervousness that haf
kept her away from Office a number ol
days. She had been invited to famil.
reunion to be held last night at the home
of her father-in-law Capt. Robert r
Grant, 621 North Carolina avenue south
east and early in the night she left nel
home at 2So3 14th street northwest VIII
her mother. Mrs. Dornin Ellis. and ne
nine-year-old daughter, Alice Grant, ant
rode to Pennsylvania avenue and "a stree
to call on Miss Van Ness and Mrs. Ellis
friends who reside at Id street south
east. her mother and child continuing u
the house of Capt Grant.
Mrs. Grants enforced delay was eX
planned in g. message telephoned to he
father-in-law, and the latter hurried Z
the hospital At the hospital he cam
face-to-face with his daughter-ln-law
alleged assailant. and his attitude toward
the latter prompted Green TO seek protec
ton of the police. No violence was dom
the frightened colored man. however, an'
after he had been examined by the ply
sicians he was taken to the police station
The charge preferred against the pris
oner was one which is punishable by
death in event Of conviction. lnVestigat
ing the affair." Policeman Wall learned O.
how Mrs Grant, her little daughter anG
mother had left home to participate IN
the Christmas family reunion and OF how
Mrs. Grant had stopped to visit hel
friends at 122 c street southeast.
Rescued From Colored Man.
Leaving the c street house shortly after
Z o'clock Mrs. Grant walked through {
street in the direction of North Caroline
avenue and it is stated, it was fully
forty minutes later when she was res
cued from the clutches of the colore1
man, who had knocked her down and
dragged her from the Sidewalk to the
areaway in front of the Ellis home.
So suddenly was the attack made ant
so roughly was the frail woman handled
that she scarcely had time to realize wha'
was transpiring. She did make a des
perate effort to protect herself calling
for help and begging piteously to be re-
leased. Threats to kill her was the re-
sponse she received. She was chOkef
and beaten and the hand of her assailan
was held over her mouth at times to pre-
vent an outcry loud enough to attrac'
q rescuer.
Mrs. Grants several articles of jewelrs
We're scattered on the pavement of the
areaway, although her rings were no
disturbed, and her dress and hat were
torn. Mrs. John F. Dwyer. 30S c stree
southeast. herd Mrs. Grants screams ant
told her husband to go out and ascertain
what was the matter. but when ht
reached the sidewalk he heard nothing. L
is thought that the aSSailant had his hano
over the mouth of his victim at that time
Mrs. Thomson Hears Her Cry.
A few minutes later Mrs. Thonssen, wife
of the physician. heard woman's voice
and knew the one making the outcry was
in distress. Her husband responded to
her request that he go out and investigate
and he soon located the noise in the
areaway in front of the Ellis home
one responsible for the cries if he went
to the areaway alone. DIR. Thonssen hur-
ried to Pennsylvania avenue and found
Policeman Wall.
Policeman and physician ran through
c street and went to the areaway to make
an investigation, meeting the colored man
from there and starting to jump
a fence. He was quickly stopped by the
however. and returned to the
scene of the assault. Having no doubt
about the identification of Mrs. Grant $
assailant, the policeman detained him,
while DIR. Thonssen took care of the vic
tim. Others soon gathered about the vi
cinity and were willing to assist in caring
for Mrs. Grant.
Clerk in Office of Assessor.
Mrs Grant is one of the. most popular
clerks in the Office of the assessor, hav-
ing been employed there since a short
time after the death of her husband,
Harold c. Grant. levelman in the Dis
trict engineer department, who was killed
by sewer gas early in June, 1903. He
was inspecting the big trunk sewer near
Garfield Park with Melvin b. Smith. a
rodman, and when the latter was over
come by gas and fell into the water in
the sewer Grant attempted to rescue
him and lost his life. Both men died be-
fore assistance reached them.
Dornin Ellis, father of Mrs. Grant, con-
Quoted a grocery store at the southwest
corner of Sd and A streets southeast. op-
posite ST. Marks Episcopal Church, a
number of years prior to the time he
moved to 14th street.
This morning there was delay in taking
the prisoner to police headquarters. the
police Of the fifth precinct deeming it
necessary to hold his clothing to be used
rs evidence when the case Is heard i'm
court. The purchase of a new outfit for
him was necessary
Very little is known by the police about
he identity of Green. He told capt. Null
,all he came here a short time ago from
somerset, Va, and that he had worked
or a local express company. In CONVEX
alton with Capt. Mulhall this morning
he prisoner is said to have admitted
making the attack upon Mrs. Grant The
,olice say he was not intoxicated last
light.