The Penn's Grove record., 1888-12-08
WHITE CAPS oUTRAGES
An Adventure In OhIo-A Warming
UDleeded-The Outlaws Peppered
with Small Bird Shot from Shot
Guns.

CHICAGO, Dec. 2.-Mr. Eddisou
Vance. a welLknown resident of Rut
land, VT, is visiting friends on WASH
ingt0n boulevard. For nearly three
weeks Prior to his Chicago visit he had
been staying at the home of his uncle,
Aaron Vance, who lives near Sardinia
Ohio, at present the scene Of White Car
outrages. Mr.. Vance says he had a
thrilling experience with the rufians
and was handled roughly by them. The
story, in his own words, is as follows:
81 arrived at Sardinia the night OF
November 9th. My uncle, whose farm
is situated about three miles from the
town, met me at the depot with a horse
and buggy. We started for his home
shortly after 8 O'Clock. The route was
lonesome. The greater part of the way
lay through a valley, and the hills are
heavily timbered. About a mile from
town a man on horseback passed us.
His head was enveloped with a white
cloth, and he was riding at a terrible
pace. My uncle said: There goes
somebody will get whipped tonight
Our conversation naturally continued
on this subject. About half a mile
further on. at the edge of a woods,
is a drinking trough for horses.
My uncle drew up to it, and got out to
loosen the check from the horse's head.
He had been telling me about the de-
precautions of the band, and continued
talking while the horses was drinking.
He naturally talked in q loud tone,
and in the stiffness he could easily have
been overheard by any m concealed
within 81 yards. My uncle among
other things, said 4 know two of them
and have engaged spies to discover the
rest. AS DON as we can get evidence
enough, l will spend every dollar I pos
sess, If necessary, to land the villains
in the ~penitentiary.
"My uncle Is u wealthy butcher and
has the reputation of always going
through with a thing when he has once
started. We arrived at the farm
house about IL o'clock, and retired
shortly after. I was tired and slept
sOundly. l arose early and came down
STAIRS before my uncle and servants
had got up. l opened the front door.
Trausfixed to the handle by a sharp
scented knife was a rough drawing of a
human head; with the weapon stuck
through the centre. In the left hand
upper corner was a skull and cross
bones and in the opposite corner The
picture OF a coffin. Below was All In
scription which read: Aaron Vancey
you'd better be careful as to what you
says, and dose. This is a warning If
you try to do us harm you will get the
worst OF it, WHITE CAPS"
ION the steps was a bundle of beech
switches, and attached to the cord that
held them together was u tag, on which
was written Weapons of Reform
~ awoke my uncle and showed the
warning and the bundle Of whips. His
words were, THE devils must
have been in the woods last night when
we watered the hOrse.'
"After breakfast he announced his
intention OF going into town and pur
firearms. lie returned in the
with two sEotgnns, three re-
volvers and a quantity of ammunition.
Then he posted "a notice on the fence
facing the road u the effect that he did
not fear ali the White Caps i'll Chris
tendon, and would never rest until he
had hung a few of them. | tried to
dissuade him from putting up tie no.
tice, but the old man was obdurate.
The uext morning another notice was
stuck on tie front door. which read:
we Yill call on you within ten days.
my uncle engaged the services OF al
All named Harwick TO watch the
premises. On the fourth night he
called us and said the White Caps were
tie house. We arose and
dressed hurrledly. Aiming ourselves,
we w mt to the front window. 1 should
Judge there were 80 masked men in the
yard.
"'Who are you. and what do you
asked my uncle.
1.-THE foremost horseman replied:
We want you, and We are going to
have you.'
IAN right replied the old man;
come on
with that he raised his shotgun
and Tired into the middle of the group.
There was a yell and a man fell from
bis horse. They picked him up, and
all turned and aalloped away. In
about two hours we heard them re-
turning. We were ready for them. We
had loaded tine guns with small bird
shot and, as they dashed into the
yard, we did net hesitate to fire at
them. The voiley seemed to rattle
them. Again they went away. We
heard nothing for three days l sup
posed they had gotten enough and
would let US alone. The third night about
ten o'clock we heard a noise in the
barn, and Hardwick and | went to see
what was the matter. | never thought
Of white caps.
woman servant alone in the house.
We had hardly lett the bouse before /
was struck down, and three men. the1r
faces covered with masks were on top
OF me. At my side, ilarwick was suf-
feiing from the same violence They
bound US with cords and half carried
and led us TO the BAN. One of them
said to US: We mean you 10 lain if
you keep still. We are going to teach
Aaron a lesson to keep his tongue
tied.'
"Then all but one went away. The
man left with us took "A seat about 20
feet away and never took llS ey rs from
us.
sin a short time we heard IA report
of a gun and then followed "a perfect
insilade. Shot after shot Vas tired,
and / remember of wondering how
my<uucle managed to load and IRE so
rapidly. A few minutes later a man
opened the barn door and beckoued to
our guard. lie immediately left US.
and we did hot see him again. 1t was
broad day light when my uncle opened
the harm door and IA the ropes that
bound US. lie explained that he did
not dare 10 come out of the house be-
fore. j was SO stiff that 1t was some
liue before | could use my hands. My
uncle told the story OF the assault and
now, by the aid o. the old ser
want, who loaded the guns. he had been
able TO fire SO rapidly. Two days before
/ lett my uncle &, a letter which said
that the White Caps would have re
venge If 1t took all winter. tried to
fpduca him La 20 away until The gang