New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-13
coUH1DIyG An EXCISE COMMISSIONER.
JOHN V. oNDERDONK ASSAULTED by WOMEN
THEIR HUSBANDS AVENGERS.

JOHN V. ONDERDoNK ASSAULTED by WOMEN
THEIR HUSBANDS AVENGERS.
John V. Onderdonk, an Excise commissioner TOT
Rockland County, and formerly Editor OF me IN
depcndent Adrrtsa. a weekly newspaper published
at Nyack. received hoTsewhipping at the hands oi
two women I'm the presence of large crowd, yes
terday The women were accompanied by their
husbands and the whipping administered as a
retaliation for articles published in the news
paper hlcl reflected upon thcnen. Mr. Onderdonk
Is one of the best known men III Rockand County.
He built two brick blocks IN Nyack and put up
dozen houses besides, number of years ago. and
was looked upon rs an active man Of affairs. lie
subsequently, suffered severe losses. and since then
his prominence has been due TO the war which he
has made on the liquor shops Of the place Ihe
Jud,pepde1f 1drerfiscr was established 10 help him
In this war and II has been severe in It's dcnuncia-
tion Of many men. Mr. Onderdonk was elected
two years ago a. law and order' man. Last
month he withdrew from the paper. leaving IL in
the hands Of his son. VI. L. Onderdonk, and sydney
+. Fordham
For two years many Of the cutting paragraphs in
the new spapcr have been directed against David
Shakespear and William ~. Harris. two police con
stables Of Nyack. On Friday a communication In
the paper charged Shakespcar with drunkenness,
neglect of dlty and moral prolligncy. and an edI-
torial paragraph asked what credentials Harris
brought that he should he appointed police con-
stable The articles caused much comment.
Mr. Ondcrdonk has n small reservoir in upper
Main-st. incloscd in a shed. Yesterday morning it
was rumored that the shed had been burned to the
ground the night before. Mr. Ondcrdonk, who
usually walks there on Sunday went 10 ascertain
the truth of the rumor. While there about hun
dred people came out Of the village, among the
crowd beng Shakespcar, Harris and their wives.
Mrs. Harris approached Commissioning OnderdonA
produced copy oi I he Adrriiscr, aud pointing 10
the ObnOxiOus article, asked:
" Dd YOU write thsf
Mr.. OndrTdonks Is response minated that III was
" none of hcr business" Mrs liairis then struck
him blow with a stout hOrsewhlp aud MIS-. shake
spear joined III the attack with another whip ana
the sarcastic query:
"Ilow do yon like our STYLE ~
Mr. OndcIdunk evidently ga not like II nj all,
but threw up his hands and tired 10 protect him
self from the fast and stIngng blows. The crowd
howled with gee and cried. drown MmW XIII
himv Throw HIM IN the waterW " Break his
miserable old skull" aud uttered other hcrce
threats. For time his life seemed endangered,
Finally, covered with blood, he sail
! will rctract next week ~ Then
the furious women dcsistcd and were accompanied
by the Tabble back to the village where the church
gocrs wondered at the strange sight. his ~ cvi-
IDENTIFY but the beginning Of legal trouble, scandal
and sensation.
Mr.. OndcrdOnk Is seventy years old and was
walking about the village AT p. III. lie is a man
of great grit and does not show that lac was
severely punished