St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-05-02
The Natural Consequence.
VIM. H. WHEELER RoTToN- EGGED.

WATSONVILLE, April 10. - fO-nlghI
about seven O'Clock a. party of young
men, numbering about ten, encountered
VIM. H. Wheeler, editor of the Tran
script, as he was coming out of the Man
sion House, and Immediately proceeded
to rotor egg him. He stopped in the
street and pulled a pistol, and the egg
ing increased. Wheeler made break
for an alley way, then ran back with
drawn pistol pointed at one of the men.
At this juncture he was disarmed by a
citizen, and, with the crowd at his heels,
Wheeler ran into Ford & Sanborn's
store. The crowd got him into "a rear
room, and he was struck several times.
He was forced out of the store into the
undergrad to the rear, the crowd still
egging him and they ran him hard into
private house. Wheeler made no re-
sistance in the attack other than to draw
his pistol. His clothes were badly soil
ed and torn, and ruined by the eggs.
Hundreds of people gathered on the
street, and ne one attempted to prevent
the attacking party, the feeling being
with them. For time an attack on his
printing office was imminent, but cool
er counsel prevailed. At the present
writing it is the subject of but little dis
cussion, and no arrests have been made
as yet. Wheeler has been for long
time running his paper on the personal
plan, and has attacked nearly all our
citizens. This attempt was to make it
a live paper. He had several rows and
two libel suits, and has never been
punished until tonight. The abuse has
created feeling, and this feeling broke
out tonight in this attack. The major
ity of the people think the act was JUS
titiable under the circumstances, and
strong talk of Safety Committee for
further protection is heard.
Kusel, editor of the Recorder, was
whipped this morning for publishing n
poem rejecting on well known citizen.
Our people are tired of personal Jour
nalism, and as they have no help from
the law, except by tedious libel suits,
they intend to severally and collectively
defend themselves.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
From the Jacksonville Pajaronian, April III
Fridays Transcript contained an item
in which it said that a crowd had haen
formed to egg the editor of that paper,
and that if the crowd was not rotton
enough already it might be soon after
the egging. In the same issue appeared
Il mass of personalities, etc, beneath
the province of any respectable paper.
Sunday evening n party laid for this
w. Ii. Wheeler, but he did not appear,
and he or his friends sent two officers to
disperse the crowd. The organized par
ty kept quiet until Tuesday night, when
they caught Wheeler as he came out of
the Mansion House barber shop, and an
egg was thrown at him. He lodged
and drew pistol, and then he caught
it warmly. He ran into the Mansion
House alley way, aud then back with
drawn pistol, eggs hitting him all the
time, but he was SO scared that he
could not hold the pistol steady. While
in the street his shooter was taken from
him, and one of the boys Immediately
after knocked him down. Wheeler got
up, ran into Chas. FOrd's store, was
then hustled out into the crowd, and
stood there the picture of despair,
clothes torn, hat off, garments soiled, a
hewildered quivering human figure.
He again rushed into FOrd's store and
got into the back office. He made
break for firearms there, but one of
the boys knocked him down. Bystand-
els rushed in and got the boys out, and
Wheeler escaped through the side win
dow, ran across Cooper's lot, down
Beach street, into the Methodist par
sOnage, and from thence into his room.
Wheeler has continued an abusive
course in this town for two years. and
this is the first time he has been pun
ished. Forbearance has ceased to be
a virtue, and as everybody has rights,
even from such irresponsible persons as
Wheeler, the community is determined
that his abuse shall cease. He has ma
ligned men, women and children,
through his paper, and has never let
scandal escape publication.