An Attempted Outrage

A, "large negro man," broke into a home and attempted to kidnap a young lady living thee. His attempts provided unsuccessful, and a large party of those living in the neighborhood has gathered in search of the man.

A lady from this city, who has been spending the summer upon her farm near Rappahannock station; in Fauquier county, was suddenly aroused from her slumbers a few nights since by the pressure of a hand upon her arm, and opening her eyes saw a large negro man standing by the side of her bed. She immediately screamed for help, and her overseer. who was an inmate of the house; armed with a stick and gun, at once ran to her assistance. The villain, hearing the approach of the oversees, seized a young lady who was sleeping in the same bed as the lady just mentioned, in his arms, and springing through the side door, darted for the woods, and had reached the gate of the enclosure before the overseer caught up with him and forced him to relinquish his prey by beating him severely over the head with a club. The young lady had swooned from fright. The affair occasioned great excitement in the neighborhood, and parties have been searching for the wretch, but as yet without success.

“An Attempted Outrage,” Reconstructing Virginia, accessed May 20, 2022, https://reconstructingvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1833.