The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1951-08-25
Notes
on
The
N S
HOW LONG MUST NEGRO WOMEN
REMAIN UNPROTECTED BY THE LAW?
By T. j. Sellers

AsAA"A<An' OASA AACAANALO Ia IAlL LIN W.
Last Saturday night, between the hours
OF nine and ten, according to the nforma-
ton which was brought to The TRIBUNE
office, Negro woman was leaving her
mothers home on Fourth Street, N, W.,
when she was attacked by white man
who made his purpose quite clear.
He wrestled wi t h his victim and at
tempted to force his hand under her eclothes
and might have been successful had not
the screams of this woman brought her
mother to the scene. The would-be rapist
was held until the police department
could be called and was then turned over
to the arresting officer.
On Monday morning, this white man,
who had walked up and attacked Ne
gro woman that he had never seen before,
was tried in the local court. He was tried
en- the charges, according to the arresting
officer, of assault and placing hands on
the body in an immoral way and was
duly fined the excessive sum of TWENTY
FIVE DOLLARS and given 80 day jail
sentence WHICH WAS SUSPENDED!
The victim said the man was tryine to
peared on the scene and helped to free
her daughter of this maniac said the man
was trying to rape--but the charge was as
sault and the fine was twenty-five dollars
Several months ago, local jury gave a
Negro sex pervert the death sentence be-
cause he raped white woman on one of
the streets in downtown Charlottesville.
white man started to rape Negro
woman and might have accomplished his
foul purpose had it not been for the in
reference of the victims m h and
receives Twenty-Five Dollars fine and
Suspended sentence of 80 days!
Now, it is reasonably certain that no
group of influential citizens will call on
Governor Battle about this matter and it
is reasonably certain that no long editori-
lis of protest will appear in the daily
press describing the brutal and sordid"
details of the would-be rape on last Sat
urday night because the would-be rapist
was white man and the unfortunate VIC
tim of his attack was hard working Ne
gro woman.
But some self-respecting element Of our
population in ehis city should find out why
this sort of thing can happen to a Negro
woman and be so lightly regarded. .
And h at element of our population
should understand that this is more than
another "race" problem, that it is more
then the mere acceptance of the dual
standard in the administration of our laws
by our courts.
This fine of Twenty-Five Dollars, for
what amounted to clear cut case of at
tempted rape is a brazen disregard for
any attempt at dealing out Justice impair
tally and fairly.
All decent and self respecting citizens
of this community should also understand
and be deeply concerned over the fact that
this wouId-be rapist gave concrete indica-
tions Of being sexual pervert when he ate
tempted to attack woman out on pub
lie street that ne had never seen before.
The court was apparently not too con-
cerned because the woman was a Negro.
But sexual pervert on the loose may
strike again and this time he could really
commit crime and attempt to rape a
white woman.
Too many Negro women are being mo.
Tested by too many white men who are
getting off with light fines in Charlottes.
vile and something should be done about
/ this outrageous miscarriage of justice--AT
ONCEi
But trying to rape Negro women will re-
main a favorite Saturday night sport fol
drunks and perverts just 50 long as the
| pay-off for the rapist remains dismissal Of
J fine of Twenty-Five Dollars.