The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-01-10
THE CITRA OUTRAGE AVENGED
BY ORDERLY PROCESS
OF LAW

who invited the death penalty to sat
isfy his british lust by overpowering
frail and delicate white woman on
lonely road on Saturday afternoon
between Eureka and Citra, was ar
rested Sunday morning, lodged in the
! Ocala Jail Sunday afternoon, a true
bill was found against him Tuesday
morning Immediately upon the assem-
bling of the grand jury, at ? o'clock in
the afternoon a petit jury was impan-
elled, and by four O'Clock the evi-
dence had been heard, the judges
| charge had been delivered and a YER
dict of guilty had been rendered.
There is no shadow of a doubt bu,
thai the right party was on trial. The
evidence was clear and convincing,
and there was not one who heard it
that had the remotest doubt but that
he was guilty.
The prisoners frail victim was the
first witness. She substantially con-
frmed the story as printed in this
parer tuesday.
She said that she was returning
home from q visit to her brother who
| lives at Eureka. She was driving Il
loaded wagon. The horse was some
what crippled and could not make
very rapid progress. She had gotten
out TO walk when they reached a GER
tain scrub in order to lessen the load.
She involunJarily turned her head
| and t5p.Gd this negro following her.
She at once became apprehensive.
She got back into the wagon and tried
to urge the horse forward, but it was
not long before she was overtaken.
The negro walked by the side of the
wagon for some distance and his man
ner and questions so alarmed her
that at the first cross road she stop
ped and pretended that she was to
meet her husband there. She waited
some time, but no relief came, as she
prayed for, in the person of some
passing friend or stranger. She
thought, perhaps, that the negro
had gone on, so after lapse of time,
she proceeded on her way. She had
not gone far when she espied the ne
gro sitting on a log, waiting for her
approach. She could not turn back,
for then she was sure that he would
follow, so she thought that her only
salvation was to put on as bold a
front as possible and push forward,
but when she got near him he halted
her, seized the horses bride and turn
ed the wagon just out of the road and
then seized her. She was trembling
with fear, but attempted to strike
him in the face with the small whip
she held in her hand, but she was
soon Overpowered, and her worst ap-
prehensions were realized.
Accomplishing his purpose the ne
gro hurried away in the direction of
cypress pond, and she finally lost
sight of him.
She described his appearance and
his dress, and from her description it
was not hard to identify him He
wore shoe that had a patch running
lengthwise of the sole, and on the
outer edges a row of tacks protruded
that left their imprint in the soft
sand
AS soon as the prisoner reached his
home he changed his clothing, but his
discarded clothing were surrendered
by his wife who swore that they were
the identical clothing he wore on Sat
urday, and the right shoe made the
identical imprint, and both shoes fit
the tracks to a hairs breadth that
had been followed to and from the
scene of the crime. The hat, shirt,
coat and pants all fit the description
and the woman said that there coul Il
be no possible doubt of his identity
Judge William Gober, at the re-
quest of Judge Bullock. represented
the prisoner and piled the usual ques-
tions to the jurymen, and perhaps as
many as six We're excused and re-
quested to stand aside.
State Attorney Davis said that as
the case was so clear and the evil
dence SO positive that he did not
think any argument was necessary.
Judge Gober made a three-minute
speech and the court delivered the
usual charge in such cases, and did
so most impressively The jury re-
tired, and after . few minutes con-
sultation, returned verdict of
guilty"
A squad of the Ocala Rifles guard
ed the approaches to the court house
and escorted the prisoner from and
to the Jail, and will guard him until