The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-11-25
HOME MATTERS.
A Villainous Attack.

One Of the boldest attempts at highway rob
berry we have heard Of for long time and almost
a murder and the narrowest escapes from both,
occurred on Wednesday night, Nov. 18th. The
occurrence was slow in being made known here,
and only last Saturday did we get hold of it. The
facts are substantially these;
On the day spoken of Mr. Elon Weaver, living
in the township of Prairie Center, sent his son
William to Ottawa for some lumber and money.
Mr. Weaver procured the money, some $500, from
the bank, and in the evening started home. His
progress was necessarily slow, so that by S
o'clock he had gone but about six miles from
town. near what is known as the Screen" place,
north of Ottawa. As he was drying leisurly
along here man suddenly appeared on the
wagon, having mounted from behind. He asked
Weaver whittier he was going, to which he re-
plied-"to Harding" The ruIian then asked his
name. Weaver answered. Campbell" The man
then said, you're liar and struck Weaver in
the face with billy. Weaver raised his arm to
ward off another, when he received a second
blow, this time from the mans fist, knocking him
off the wagon into the mud The man immedi-
ately jumped to the ground and straddled Wea-
vers body, and began his search for the money.
He went at it very Systematically, searching on
one side all the pockets in the two coats and vest
and finding nothing, examined those on the Other
side, and at last got hold Of the money, In large
envelope, in the inside vest pocket, and drew it
out. Weaver by this time had been able to draw
his large pocket knife, with which he stabbed the
man twice. At this the man dropped the money
and called, tom, Tom, help me! I'm stabbed.
.io, ND
ing pistol fired at Weaver the ball cutting
through his hat at his forehead but intlictinS no
wound. 1t did, however, render Weaver insensi.
BILE; yet he got onto his feet, grabbed the money,
crammed it into an outside pocket and jumped
on the wagon, sticking his open knife in a
board on the wagon, and drove home. The ruff
fans made no effort to stop him. the suppositon
being that they supposed the money was still on
the ground and that was all they wanted. OF
course, they did not find it, and whether they
followed or not is not known If they did they
missed him, FOR after following the road for a
short distance, Weaver took the short cut across
a field to his home, where he arrived safely. II
was full an hour and half before he came to
himself sufficiently to tell his story He remem-
bers nothing after the man tom" shot az him A:
and how he found his money, got onto the wagon
and made the rest of the journey he Knows not.
The envelope containing the money and the
knife were both covered with blood, and Weaver
himself covered with mud, with the pistol-ball
hole in his hat, so there can be not doubt as to
the correctness of his story. SO far as we know,
nothing has been learned Of the perpetrators OF
the outrage save that a brother saw two men in
an open buggy drawn by span OF horses, but a
short distance beyond the scene some 20 or 80
minutes after it is supposed Weaver had his
struggle with them.