The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-05-28
WIFE ALONE
FIGHTS OFF
INT RUDER
PIucky Landover Matron Routs
Negro Who Attacks Home
With Husband Absent.

Barricading herself in her home,
surrounded by her two small children,
Mrs. A. L. Fleming wife Of car
penter and truck farmer Of Land
over, Prince Georges county. shoul-
dered shotgun and put to rout q
negro who at 10:30 O'clock Thursday
night. attempted to break into the
house to attack her.
NEAR WHITE STATION.
The Fleming farm Is within nve
miles OF the spot where Mrs. Mar
earet E. Weber. twenty-year -old
bride Of John r. Weber. Of Columbia
l ark. was shot to death in a clump
Of woodland near White Station ten
days ago.
That the negro did not succeed in
breaking into the Fleming home was
entirely due to Mrs. F'leming's pluck.
Although frightened when she saw
the negro's face through a door win
COW. Mrs. Fleming, with her two chill
dren at her side. acid the sho lsun
ready to fire on the intruder IL he
persisted in entering the house.
Shortly after s o'clock Thursday
night Fleming. accompanied by his
oldest son, George, seventeen years
old, came to Washington to visit a
relative. 1t was during their alb
sence that the negro tried to break
irto the house.
Mrs. Fleming was in the kitchen,
sitting at a table reading a news
paper by lamp. Hearing a noise at
the door, she believed her husband
had returned. but saw negro trying
to get in. He put his shoulder to the
al
negro then entered an open basement
door and climbing the basement
steps. attempted to force the door
leading into the kitchen.
SEXES SHOTGUN. LOADS 1T.
In the meantime. Mrs. Fleming
rushed to corner of the room and
seizing the shotgun, quickly loaded
II. She shouted to the negro that
II he did not leave, she would shoot.
The intruder probably realizing the
nervy woman would make good her
threat, left the basement. As he
started across the farm. Mrs. Flem-
ing, who had shouldered the gun,
tried to fire at him, but because of a
window screen she was unable to
take aim. The negro soon disap-
peared.
An hour later Fleming returned
hobt aho i'uhu MS DiuChy "llS III
a highly nervous condition. Taking
the shotgun. Fleming. with several
neighbors, secured the countryside
for a mile around in search OF the
intruder, but failed to find the negro.
Mrs. Fleming could not give a
good description of the negro, but she
stated he was about 8 feet 10 inches
tall and rather heavy in build.
NEIGHBORHOOD ALARMED.
Residents of Landover. Huntsville
and Columbia Park are alarmed over
the attack made on Mrs. Weber and
the attempted assault on Mrs.
Fleming. They are purchasing shot
guns and preparing for any emer.
sency.
Il only wish l had been in the
house when the negro tried to ,!rt
in," declared Fleming. There is 40
doubt that he wanted to attack my
wife. He apparently knew was
away. There would be a dead negro
lying around here IL / had happened
to be in another part of the house"
At an inquest held last night az the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad station
at Seaton Pleasant by Coroner John
j. Fainter In the case of Mrs. Weber
the jury brought In a verdict that the
woman came to her death from n bull
let wound fired by someone unknown.
Search Is still being made for the
white man with "sunken eyes and
cheeks" who was seen in the woods
an hour after Mrs. Weber was Grim
inally assaulted and shot to death.
states Attorney J. Wilson Ryon. De-
tectives Bradley and nougherty. of
Baltimore, and Sheriff Harrfson md
lContinued on Page 2. Column a.