ASSAULTED BY A NEGRO.
Young School Teacher in Jefferson County the Victim.
Harpers Ferry, W. Va., June 27. A most horrible assault case occurred here this afternoon on the River Road, near Peachers Mill, about two miles west of Harpers Ferry. As Miss Laura Knode, a young lady about 20 years old, of Molers Cross roads, a school teacher at that place, was returning to her home she was assaulted by a negro brute. The lady was dragged from her buggy 100 yards into a cluster of bushes by the negro, who had a handkerchief over his face. He flourished an open knife and declared he would cut her throat if she made any outcry, and then ran his hand into her mouth to keep her from giving an alarm. After accomplishing his purpose the negro left her in a terrible plight. Her horse had gone, and she made her way to Robert Engle’s house about half a mile away. To Mr Engle she related the story of the crime. He came with her to Harpers Ferry, and from here she was taken to the home of her father, Mr. Alfred Knode, at Molers Crossroads. The girl’s face was much cut and bruised, and the marks of the negro’s fingers were visible.
A large crowd of enraged citizens gathered, and as Miss Knode passed she described the negro’s appearance to them. The man is tan-colored, weighing about 175 pounds, has red lips, a flat nose and a smooth face. He wore a light cap, blue shirt with light stripes, overalls and stitched down square-to shoes. After committing the outrage he went up the railroad toward Shenandoah Junction.
A crowd of citizens gathered at Peachers Mill, the scene of the assault, awaiting Sheriff Billmyer, of Shepherdstown, who telegraphed he would visit the place with his bloodhounds. A negro living in Frederick and employed at the lime quarries at Bakerton is suspected. He has been around here several weeks and has a bad reputation.
Martinsburg, W. Va. June 28— The negro arrested here last night on suspicion as the assailant of Miss Laura Knode, the young lady who was brutally assaulted yesterday afternoon about two miles west of Harper’s Ferry, on the River Road, was positively identified by Miss Knode at 1 30 o’clock this afternoon as the man who committed the assault.
The negro says that his name is George Williams, and that his home is in Virginia. He claims that he has been working at Brunswick, Md., for some time, and he denies his guilt.
