The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-09-05

hogs and pay for the damage done.
Friday evening Ankeny arrived n
Bluhaugh's. \ quarrel followed sool
upon his arrival in the yard in front o
the house, and when he was getting tn,
best of Mr.. Blubrugh, the latter's VIII,
took hand. She alleges that Ankeny
struck her on the head knocking hel
down, and was coming towards her i'll /;
threatening manner with a scythe in hi,
hands, when she got hold of shot gun
which it appears her husband had called
for aud had been placed against conve.
nient tree by one of their young sons.
Ankeny grasped hold of the gun and in
attempting 10 wrest it from her it was
discharged, the contents entering his
stomach. Anlleny fell to the ground
moriaily wounded.
The anger of the Blubaugh's soon gave
way to a feeling of terror. They gather
ell up their bleeding victim and carried
him into their home, where he was made
a comfortable as possible and a messen-
ger was sent To StahlstOwn, the nearest
village, for physician. The wounded
man fingered in great agony until j
O'Clock Saturday afternoon when death
came to his relief, the Blubaugh's nurs-
ing him all the time
The foregoing is practically the story of
the shooting as told by the murdercss
herself.
THE OTHER SIDE.
Another version Of the affair, told by
one of Ankeny's friends, is, that when
Ankeny went to Blubaugh's after his
hogs he found Blubaugh in field some
distance from the house. He AT once ask
ed what the charges were for keeping his
swine and when Blubaugh replied $500
Ankcny said that he did not have that
much money with him and that Blubaugh
would have To give him little time in
which 10 pay it. Blubaugh ilew into a
rage and said that he would take $500
worth out of Ankeny's hide. y fist fight
was commenced at once and Ankeny was
getting away with Blubaugh when the
latter called to his wife to get the gun"
\ few minutes afterwards Il shot echoed
throughout the mountain and Ankeny
fell To the ground. shot through the bow
els. The contents Of the gun entered
above one hip and passed out immediate
ly above the other. Frightened at what
they had done, the Blnbaughs dragged
their victim into the house, where they
kept him concealed until Saturday, when
they sent to Stahlstown for "a physician.
The physician arrived about an hour be
known he i the only person, outside OF
the members of the Blubaugh family, who
talked with the murdered man from the
time he was shot until he died. 1t is re-
ported that the physician asked Mrs.
limbaugh where she was standing when
she fired the fatal shot. The murdereSs
replied, I'VE were fighting for possession
of the gun when it was accidentally dis
charged"
How did the spots of blood jus saw
on the ground out in the field get there?''
inquired the doctor. The woman pleaded
Ignorance, and no amount OF pumping
could induce her TO make any incriminat
ing admissions.
The physicians story is awaited with
great interest, because ii he j. unable To
give any additional evidence in regard To
the murder it is probable the true story
will never be told.
Ii is alleged that the Blubaughs did not
eonfide the story of the shooting to any
of their neighbOrs and that the first inti-
nation they had of the murder came
from the physician.
When Ankeny's relatives reached tine
scene OF the tragedy they found the mur-
dered mans body unprepared for burial
and 50 badly decomposed that it was
difficult matter 10 place the remains in
casket.
The body was buried at ) o'clock Sun
day afternoon in a country grave yard,
two miles from the scene of the murder.
''RALF" BLUBAUGH IN SOMERSET.
''Ralf7' Blubaugh visited Somerset
Monday evening for the purpose of con-
sulting with his attorneys, Messrs. Hay
IL Walker. Wen seen by 4 HERALD
Blubaugh at first declined 10
give his version of the shooting, saying
that he would tell his story at the proper
time
In response to questioning he said that
came 10 his house about five
o'clock Thursday afternoon, accompanied
10y Jake Enos. They rode up to the field
in which Blubaugh was working, when
asked:
Whose pigs have you penned up2"
II guess they belong to Joe Ankeny,"
responded Blubaugh.
NO they DON'T said Ankeny, '-but /
noticed that you killed one of them up in
the field"
Blubaugh denied that he had killed
one of the hogs and invited Ankeny and
Enos down TO the pen where the hogs
where confined. Before removing the
pin from the stye door he turned to
and said ''who is to pay the
damage?''
Before he had the last word out OF his
mouth Ankeny had knocked him down
around his throat. limbaugh
says he does not know how he got away
from Ankeny, but that he did, when
Ankeny picked up scythe rasp and run
at his wife, who had the gun in her hands.
He took hold of the gun and was strug-
Cling To get possession of it when it was
and Ankeny fell to the ground
Blubaugh and his " &c then carried
into the house and sent to Stahls-
own for Dr. Miller. The doctor came al
nnce and gave the wounded man medical
attention. Word of the shooting was sent
10 Ankeny's brother George the next
day.
Mr.. Blubangh expected that he would
he arrested as soon a. he returned home
morning. and thought that per-
haps his wife had been arrested and taken
to Greensburg during his absence. Blu
baugh talks very inteIligenfly and ap-
peared 10 he very much distressed, re-
that "every one must have his |
troubles. but ! have had nothing but
trouble all of my life
Blubaugh WAS formerly employed as a
miner in the Elk Lick region and is re-
ported to be a hard working and sober |
man.