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

cAAAohhoeW u9 armed -heiofmcfSs tRt
Farmer Drives Thsm oG-A Relativ,
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 Tor 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
RACES. Mr.. Vance says he had thrilling
experience with the rufiians, and was handled
roughly by them. The story in his own
words is as follows:
II arrived at Sardinia the night OF Nov.
O. My uncle, whose farm is about three
miles from the town, met me at the depot
with horse and buggy. We started for his
home shortly after y o'clock The road was
lonesome. The greater part Of the way lay
through valley, and the hills are heavily
timbered. About mile from the town a
man on horseback passed us His head was
enyeloped with a white cloth, and he was
riding at q terrific pace. NV 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 a stop 80 their outrages IL it
cost him every dollar he possessed. He talked
loudly and bitterly against the White Caps,
and it is likely that his words were over
heard, for on opening the door the next
morning saw, fixed TO the handle on a sharp
pointed knife, a rough drawing Of human
heart, the weapon stuck through its center
In ba l.Q4 In, -
and cross bones and in the opposite corner
the picture Of a coffin. Below was an in
sciiption which read:
" Aaron Vance, you'd better be careful as 10
what you says and dose This is a warnin' II
you try 70 do US harm you will get the worst OF
t. WHITE Cars
ION the steps was a bundle Of beech
switches, and attached TO the cord that held
them together was a tag, on which was
written: Weapons Of Reform | woke my
uncle and showed the warning and the
bundle Of whius
after breakfast he announced his inten-
ton 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 rond 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:
1--WE will call on you within ton 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. Aiming
ourselves we went to the front window.
should judge there were thirty masked horse.
men in the yard or near il
"'Who are you, and what do YOU wantp
asked my uncle
'Fhe foremost horseman replied. We
want you and we are going 10 hayo Won
All right, replied the old man: come on.
with that he raised his shotgun ami
fired into the middle Of the group There
was a yell. and man fell from his horse
They picked him UP, and all turned and raj
loped away. Ia about two hours wa heard
them returning We were ready for them
We had loaded the guns with small bird shot
and as they dashed into tho yard we did not
hesitate 20 fire at them The voIley seemed
to rattle them. Again they went
away. We heard nothing for three
days / 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 Harwicll and went to 49,
what was the matter / 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 was strnch
down, and three men, their faces covered
with masks, were on top Of me. At nv side
Harwiek was suffering the same violence
They bound us with cords and half carried
and half led as to the barn. Ono Of them
said TO us:
I've moan you no harm If you keen still
We're going to teach Aaron a lesson to keen
his tongue tied
"Then all but one went away. The man
ieit with us took seat about ten feet away
and never took his eye from us. In a short
time we hoard the report Of gun and then
followed perfect fusiade 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
IL was broad daylight when my uncle
opened the barn door and cut tho ronas
that bound US Ho explained that he ala
not dare to come out Of the house before
1 was 50 still that it was some time
before / could move my limbs. NV uncle
told the story Of the assault and how, by the
aid Of the old servant, who loaded the guns
he had been able 70 fire 50 rapidly. Two days
before | left my uncle got a letter. which
said that tho White Caps would have ~
venge II il took all winter tried TO indnoe
him to go away until the gang had bean
brought to justice, but the old man said la
would fight the battle out from bis avn
castle. While was at my uncle's some
neighbors were whipped though innocent az
any disregard Of public morals.u