Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-08-02
SHOT IN BACK.
OastardIy Assault by High
waymen on a Lynn Man.
After His Money--Beins Resisted One
Sends Bullet through Po1y.
Men Escape and Their Victim Has But Sliaht
Chance 0! Recovery.

Lynn, Mass, Aug. 1.-Another at
tempted robbery and assault that bids
fair to result in murder on Alley street,
which borders on the harbor front of
Lynn. owen j. Barker. about 80 years
of age. who lives at No. 70 Alley street.
was returning to his home about 1915.
when, as he was near his house, he was
confronted by two men who sprang
from behind fence and demanded his
money.
Each man had a revolver in his hand
and each had a handkerchief over his
face with holes cut in it for his eyes.
One of them shouted, "Give us your
money quick, or / will shoot" Barker
started to run, when the highwaymen
ran after him and grabbed him by the
shoulder. Barker turned quickly and
struck the man stinging blow in the
face. and the latter dropped to the
ground.
The second robber then came up, and
exclaiming with an oath, That settles
YOU" fred at Barker and as the lat
ter ran toward his door, three more
shots were fired at him in rapid sue
cession.
The noise of the shooting aroused the
family of Barker and their neighbors.
who saw as they looked out of their
windows the forms of two fleeing
highwaymen, who leaped over the fence
to the ms -sh and made their way
across the marsh to the railroad track.
disappearing in the direction of Bos-
ton.
The police We're notified of the shoot
ing as quickly as possible. and upon
their arrival Barker was removed to
the hospital. There it was found that
the bullet had struck him in the breast
on the right side, passed through the
lower lobe of the lung, and lodged in
the back, just under the skin. His
wound is considered very dangerous.
This afternoon the bullet was extracted
from Barkers back and he has a slight
chance for recovery, although his
physicians do not have much hope.
The police have thus far been unable
to find the slightest trace of the assail-
ants.
Parker was bar tender for Thomas c.
King of West Lynn. Mr.. King has been
SICK Tor some time, and it has been Bar.
kers custom TO carry the days receipts
nome with him at night. Last night,
however, he carried the money to Mr..
King, at the latter's house, and when
the assault occurred, Barker had only
his own money, and very little of that.
upon his person.
The police think that the men who way
laid Barker We're familiar with his habits
and with the business methods of the
saloon. night watchman who is en-
ployed on Alley street says that about
ll.W he saw two men going down the
street, who answered the description of
the highwaymen. Their actions were
somewhat suspicious and he followed
them b..
turn into Barker's yard. Then he thought
they might be dodgers there. so continued
his Investigations no farther. When
Barker entered his yard his assailants
sprang from behind a carpenters bench,
and as Barker struck at one of them, he
noticed that the man Wore a rubber coat.
Today. the police found a rubber coat
in the rear of Barker's house. They also
found an oilskin jacket and mask The
latter was bag-shaped and on the front
had been sewed a white-faced mask with
holes cut for the eyes, the sewing being
roughly done and evidently the work of
n m