Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-03
DROVE OFF WHITE CAPS.
An Ohio Farmer Who Would
 Not be Terrorized.
THE WARNING AND THE REPLY.

Farmer Drives Them Of-A Relative
 Bound and Guarded During the Attempt
 to Capture the Defender of His Home. CHICAGO, Dec. 3.-Eddison Vance, of Rut- land, Vt, is visiting friends in Washington boulevard. For nearly three weeks he had been staying at the home of his uncle, Aaron Vance, who lives near Sardinia, O., at present the scene of "White Cap" out rages. MT. Vance says he had a thrilling experience with the ruffians, and was handled roughly by them. The story in his own words is as follows:
 ''I arrived at Sardinia the night of Nov. 9. My uncle, whose farm is about three miles from the town, met me at the depot with a horse and buggy. We started for his home shortly after o'clock. The road was lonesome. The greater part of the way lay through a valley, and the hills are heavily timbered. About a mile from the town a man on horseback passed us. His head was enveloped with a white cloth, and he was riding at terrific pace My uncle said:
 '''There goes one of those cursed White Caps. Somebody will get whipped tonight
 ''Our conversation naturally continued on this subject, and my uncle asserted that he proposed to put stop to their outrages if it COSG IlLl ue pOSSSSSSu- 1AS OdlhCo loudly and bitterly against the White Caps and it is likely that his words over heard, for on opening the door the next morning I saw, fixed to the handle on a sharp pointed knife, a rough drawing of human heart, the weapon stuck through it's center In the left hand upper corner were the skull and cross bones, and in the opposite corner the picture of coffin. Below was an in- scription which read:
 "tAaron Vance, you'd better be careful as to what you says and dose. This is a warnin'. If you try to do us harm you will get the worst of 1t. WHITE CAPS
 "On the steps was bundle of beech switches, and attached to the cord that held them together was a tag, on which was written: Weapons of Reform I woke my uncle and showed the warning and the bundle of whips.
 ''After breakfast he announced his inten- tion of going into town and purchasing fire arms He returned in the afternoon with two shotguns, three revolvers and quantity of ammunition. Then he pasted a notice on the fence facing the road that he did not fear all the White Caps in christendom, and would never rest until he had hung few of them. The next morning another notice was stuck on the front door, which read
 '''We will call on you within ten days My uncle engaged the services of a man named Harwick to watch the premises. On the fourth night he called us and said the White Caps were surrounding the house We arose and dressed hurriedly. Arming ourselves we went to the front window. should judge there were thirty masked horse men in the yard or near it.
 "'Who are you and what do you want?' asked my uncle.
 "The foremost horseman rephed We want you, and we are going to have you "'All right, replied the old man; come on , ssWith that he raised his shotgun and fired into the middle of the group. There was yell, and a man fell from his horse i They picked him up, and all turned and gal | loped away. In about two hours we heard them returning. We were ready for them | We had loaded the guns with small bird shot, and as they dashed into the yard we did not hesitate to fire at them. Tie volley seemed away. We heard nothing for three days. I supposed they had got enough and would let us alone. The third night about 10 o'clock we heard a noise | in the barn, and Harwick and went to see what was the matter. 1 never thought of White Caps. We left my uncle with an old woman servant alone in the house. We had hardly left the house before I was struck down, and three men, their faces covered | with masks, were on top of me. At my side Harwick was suffering the same violence. | They bound us with cords and half carried and half led us to the barn. One of them said to us:
 "'We mean you no harm if you keep still. We're going to teach Aaron a Tesson to keep his tongue tied
 ''Then all but one went away. The man | left with us took seat about ten feet away and never took his eye from us, In a short time we heard the report of gun and then followed perfect tusilade. Shot after shot was fired, and l remember wondering how my uncle managed to load and fire so rapidly A few minutes later a man opened the barn door and beckoned to our guard. He imme diately left us and we did not see him again It was broad daylight when my uncle opened the barn door and cut the ropes that bound us. He explained that he did | not dare to come out of the house before | was so stiff that it was some time before could move my limbs. My uncle told the story of the assault and how, by the aid of the old servant, who loaded the guns he had been able to fire so rapidly. Two days before I left my uncle got a letter, whicI said that the White Caps would have re venge if it took all winter. tried to induce him to go away until the gang had beer brought to justice, but tho old man said ht would fight the battle out from his owr castle. While I was at my uncle's som, neighbors were whipped, though innocent O
 any disregard of public morals"