Newton County GaArchives News.....ROBBERY AND ATTEMPT TO MURDER CAPT. BOYD  December 1, 1892
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Phyllis Thompson http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002524 March 23, 2008, 7:04 pm

The Georgia Enterprise December 1, 1892
     A murderous assault was made on Capt. VIRGIL BOYD, the popular conductor 
of the Covington accommodation train, about 9 o'clock last Friday night. The 
Captain was coming from his train to town and when near the front gate of Mr. 
I. W. BROWN'S residence, on Railroad Street, he was struck a fearful blow with 
a pine wagon standard, breaking the stick and cutting an ugly gash on the side 
of his head, from which the blood flowed freely. He fell unconscious to the 
ground, badly bruising his face and nose. The pockets in his pants were turned 
and a few dollars taken from them. His watch and money in the vest pockets were 
not molested.
     Near 10 o'clock the Captain was seen sitting in a dazed condition on the 
steps of Mr. FRANK HUTCHIN'S store. Immediate attention was given to the 
suffering man, now covered with blood and too weak to rise with out assistance, 
and so severely had he been hurt that he could give no correct account of the 
assault. After he was struck and robbed he managed somehow to get to the store 
where he usually eat a lunch after his evening work was done. A crowd soon 
gathered and search was made for the spot where he was assaulted. Blood hounds 
were telegraphed for, but none could be secured. The people felt outraged that 
a man should be clubbed and robbed on the most public street in the town and 
had the ruffian who did the brutal deed been caught he would doubtless have 
been mobbed.
     Fortunately the skull was not fractured and Captain BOYD is slowly 
recovering, to the gratification of his many true friends here and elsewhere. 
Many theories have been advanced as to how and by whom he was assaulted, and 
the officers of the law have worked hard to secure evidence that would lead to 
the conviction of the party, or parties, who did the foul act. Two colored men, 
CLARK BRYANT, train hand on the accommodation, and JOE BAKER, who resides here 
in town, were arrested Sunday night, certain circumstances pointing to them as 
possibly being connected with the assault, or having some knowledge as to who 
the party was that committed the crime which came so near causing the death of 
a true and noble man.

The Georgia Enterprise, December 15, 1892
     CLARK BRYANT and JOE BAKER, colored, charged with assault on Capt. VIRGIL 
BOYD, had a hearing before Justice J. P. HARRIS Friday last. The evidence was 
circumstantial, but sufficient to warrant the Justice in binding them over in a 
$300 bond each to appear at the March term of Newton Superior Court. Being 
unable to secure the bondsmen, one was sent to DeKalb and the other to Walton 
County jail for safe keeping. There was no excitement during the preliminary 
investigation, or after their commitment. The sensational article in Saturday’s 
Atlanta Herald that there came near being a lynching in Covington Friday night, 
was without any foundation whatever.


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