Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-01

THEY BANG THE SHUTTERS AND DoNBARD TIE
HOUSE AND MAKE THxnsELvRs OTHERWISE
DisAaRxEABLE, But THEY HAVE NOT BEEN sxIx
IN SPITE OF ErroRu TO suRrarsE THEM
Mr.. Joseph s. Childs, who lives near Linden,
Montgomery county, Nd, is still troubled, -
he has been for some time, by mysterious mid
night visitors who make their presence known
by calls for himself or his son and BY rapping
On the shutters and doors. So far - Mr.
Childs and his family are concerned the affair
has lost all appearances OF being in the slight
est degree funny. The affair has serious side
70 II and if some nocturnal shutter bangor finds
himself heavier by the addition OF several
ounces Of lead he will have nothing to complain
Of The persecution has been continuous now
for over two weeks and shows no signs Of
stopping.
CALLED OUT.
Two weeks ago Mr. Childs was awakened
about II o'clock pm. by some one calling
loudly for him to come out. He dressed and
went to the door. but only found q large
amount of chilly fall wind and nothing more.
Several times that night he was aroused in .
similar manner. This was the beginning and
since then every night has witnessed the arrival
of the unwelcome visitors. Lately they have
taken to calling on Mr.. Will Childs instead Of
his father. Some nights they content them
selves with standing some distance of and
calling. At other times they bang on the shut
tiers and doors and lombard the house with
stones. The visitors are literary, too, and have
pleasant little way Of leaving notes around
the yard and stables,
SIGNED WHITE CAPS"
and offering wagers that Jack tho Ripper will
yet get the best of the Childs' family and their
friends. In the house are Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph
Childs and Mr.. Will Childs and his young wife.
Both Mr.. Childs and his son are very popular
throughout the county and no reason can be
given for the disturbance OF their peace. One
rather mysterious part of the affair is that there
are a number of large and fierce dogs kept at
the Childs place, but these animals seem not to
pay the slightest attention to the nightly visit
ors. And, again, in spite of ambushes sorties
and other attempts at surprises no one has been
able ever to catch a glimpse of the mysterious
strangers. They seem to have their fun and
then disappear. Two different voices have
been plainly distinguished and all who have
heard them are of opinion that the manipu-
lators are white and not colored men.
THE REPORTER AND THE DOGS.
Monday night when STAR reporter drove up
to Mr.. Child's house he thought about million
dogs had broken loose. They were not little
dogs either, but large and massive canines
with barks something between the noise made
by steam calliope and the roaring of a bull
when he sees q red parasol. II The STAR re-
pOEbcE SHOst VI tHluk VI tudt kiuu
he would seek out some place to haunt where
they keep smaller dogs than does Mr.. Childs
The house was dark all the time and the
reporter yelled There was q sort of tremor in
that yell that would have done infinite credit
to any tenor on the stage. 1t was effective, at
any rate, and round the corner Of the house
there came with rush four men and six more
dogs. The men had revolvers with the most
wicked look about them you can imagine. The
dogs didn't have anything, but expressed a
yearning desire to fill their stomachs with por-
tions of the reporters anatomy. The STAB
man held up his hands; he had read that that
was the proper thing to do, and he did it with
promptness and dispatch.
IN A STATE OF SIEGE
Mr.. Childs' house is something like fort in
. state off siege. Several Of the neighbors
spend the night with him, and the band sally
out on the slightest noise. In spite or all these
precautions, however, there was some dir turb-
ance last night. Somebody whacked the side
of the house several times. A thorough sc arc b
was made OF the entire premises, but nothing
was found. The entire searching party had
hardly returned to the house and gathered
around the fire. when bang! bang! the visitor
was at it again. A hurried exit and another
search resulted, usual. in nothing. The
ladies OF Mr.. Childs' family are greatly worried
over the affair, and much sympathy is felt for
them throuChOu. the county