Evening journal., 1913-12-20
NECRO'SFIST
BATTERSDOWN
LONE WOMAN
Mrs. Edward Oliver POunCed
On by Black ASSallant
While On Way Home
SCREAMS CAUSED HIM
TO FLEE in DARKNESS

While on her way home last night,
Mrs. Edward Oliver. Of No. ZIG Gray
avenue, was brutally attacked by a
Dig negro. who struck her two terri
&c blows on each side OF the face
telling her to the ground. II is be-
lieved that a more serious assault
was the purpose Of the negro, and
that he was frustrated by the screams
of the terrified woman. Mrs. divers
screams awakened the neighborhood.
and he escaped, although a thorough
search of the vicinity was made by
a posse of police. railway employees
and other citizens.
The attack occurred about $50
o'clock last evening, while Mrs. Oliver
was hurrying along the street She
is the wife of a motorman, employed
by the Peoples Railway Company
They have been living In the Gray
avenue house only about month.
The woman was prostrated from
fright and the shock of the brutal
blows struck by the negro, she hav-
ing been In delicate health for some
time. She is confined to her homo
today.
Last evening Oliver started to con-
meet a stove in his home and found
that he lacked a section of pipe. His
wife agreed to go down town to get Il
and was returning when attacked.
She left the Peoples car at Fourth
street and Greenhill avenue about
6.25 o'clock and started to walk down
toward Third street. On her way she
noticed man standing in the shadow
of a POLE but did not pay much at
tention to it. II was very dark at that
spot and she did not get a good look
at him. He did not address her as she
passed. but when she turned into
Third street she heard him whistle.
She turned and noted that he was
only a few feet behind her, but even
then she did not realize that he con-
templated an attack upon her as there
we're houses in the immediate vicinity
and people could be seen in the
windows.
Beaten TO Ground.
Mrs. Oliver had only taken a few
steps after glancing back when the
hulking negro crept up softly behind
her and struck her blow on the right
side of her face with his fist
almost Instantly striking her another
blow on the left side OF the face. The
force of the two blows felled her 70
the ground face foremost
Mrs. Oliver was carrying . wallet con
tanning $40 at the time. and when the
first blow was struck she instinctively
rutched it to her breast When she fell
she still claspcd the wallet TO her bosom
The negro then leaned over and attempt
ed to turn her over on her back but she
resisted theefrores, clutching desperately
ar -
scream from the moment the negro first
struck her and she continued to shout
for help as she lay upon the ground
This anoered the negro and he forced
his hand into her mouth. and in doing
so tore open her lip from which blood
flowed freely. Finally becoming fright
ened at her screams he gave her kick
# in the abdomen and another in the hiI
and then fled down toward Greenhil
avenue toward Lancaster avenue, disap
pearing in the darkness.
The unfortunate victim struggled Il
her feet and managed to cross the loi
TO her house where she fell in the yar'
exhausted and hysterical as the result
Of her experience. Mrs. Annie Williams
of No. 2lS Gray avenue, a neighbor
Il heard her cries for help and ran out
Oliver. who had also heard her las
screams. rushed out and found his wifi
living in the yard covered with bloo'
from the wound on her mouth. She wa
assisted into the William home and j
was some time before she recovered SUI
iiciently to give a connected account o
what had occurred. The infuriated hus
band. when he heard his wife's story
rushed from the house and began
search of the vicinity.
The police we're notified of the as
s sault and several officers we're hur
ried to the scene. They we're JOINED
by some employees of the Peoplei
Line including Bernard ]. McVey
the company's special officer. The.
closely searched the neighborhoo'
and while they found the assailantl
footprints in the roadway they coul'
not locate him. II is believed he raj
out Lancaster turnpike. The polio
will continue TO work on the case AM
hope 10 find him in short time.
# The description Mrs. oliver CAV
81 OF her assailant was a man with
81 light skin, about five feet 10 or
inches tall and with broad shoulders
# He wore cap of some light ma
terial and had it pulled well dow
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