Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-12-19

On Saturday morning, the 18th inst, the
usually quiet village of Ravenns was
thrown into an unprecedented excitement
by the reported attempt to murder and rob
one of the most esteemed citizens of the
village, at his place of business.
The facts in the matter are believed to be
as fOllews: About eight o'clock in the
morning Mr.. ]. C. Prentice was alone in,
tho store of D. N. Clewel, (where he is en-
gagged, y when young man by the name OF
W. W. Flower, who had been stopping IN
the place several days, came in and asked
Mr.. Prentice to change one hundred dol
lar bill for him. Mr.. Prentice stepped to
the safe, unlocked it, took out some money,
and was in the act of counting it when the
man struck him heavy blow with an iron
poker. The villain probably inflicted sew
eral blows with the poker as the marks wit
ness, and then seizing Mr.. P. by the coat
collar dragged him down cellar, and, taking
large stone (the size of mans head) out
of the cellar wall, attempted TO crush the
head of his already partially insensible
victim, and actually inflicted several blows
with the stone. He then went to the rear
cellar door, unbolted and opened it so as to
provide himself means of escape. Strange
to say, his object had not been accomplished,
and NJ. Prentice revived sufficiently to be
conscious, when, to his horror, the villain
returned to see if his work had been sure.
STOPPING down and putting his hand or knee
I on the body of Mr.. Prennce, ne Dent MS
head down to that of his victim to learn il
he still breathed. Mr.. Prentice lay with his
face down, and although badly msngled
and almost unconscious, he inferred the
purpose Of the murderer, and to deceive
him he held his breath and feigned death.
The villain intently watched for signs OF
life, and this terrible moment Mr. Prentice
thought would surely be his last. But, for
tunateIy, the front store door opened, and
some one entered. The villain, hearing
some one coming shove, fed in haste. The
man who entered the store went back te
the rear end. and seeing 10 one in, and the
safe open and money scattered on the floor,
at once discovered that something was
wrong, and going to the cellar door, which
was open, called. No one replied, but
at length q faint noise from Mr.. Prentice
reached his ear, and on going down he dis
covered the state of affairs, and brought
Mr.. Prentice up stairs. Medical aid was
promptly at hand, aud immediate pursuit
OF the criminal was made. A meeting Of
the citizens vas called, reward of $500
was offered for the apprehension of the
guilty party, and organized efforts were
made for the search. About twelve O'Clock
he was found secreted in an outhouse in
the rear of the Collins House.
The people were greatly excited at the
outrage, and nothing but the strong re-
spect felt there for law and order prevent
ed his being lynched. He was lodged in
Jail to await his examination, which will
probably occur to day (Mondsy).
Flower is young man of very pleasant
face and manners, slender and almost
effeminate in appearance, and apparently
the last man one would suspect of sush a
crime.
Mr.. Prentice is a nephew of the late
Cyrus Prentice, the first President of the
Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad, and is
one of the most esteemed of all the busi-
ness men OfRavenna. He appears in q fair
way to recover. but is not regarded as al
together out of danger. From external
appearance there is no fracture ofthe skull,
but it is still uncertain what will be the
result. B.