The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-09-22
FARMER AND ROBBER
KILLED I'M A FIGHT.
Chas. Oufner of Dallas County
Had a Desperate Struggle
With Bandits.
CUT ONE MANS THROAT.
After that He Was Shot in The
Back By O Confederate.

Back Dy tOhI6Oerate.
Springfield, Mo, Sept. 16,-News
reached this city to-day of a tragedy
which occurred at 6 o'clock Thurs
day evening at the home of Charles
Duffner, FIVE miles north of Fair
Grove in Dallas county, in which
Mr.. Duffner and an unknown rcbber
lost their lives. Charles Duffner is
one of the most prominent farmers
in Dallas county. He went to
Europe August with his daughter.
AIR Duffner returned home last
Monday and deposited a sum OF
money in the bank at Springfield.
Wednesday morning a stranger
called at the home of Mr.. Duffner
aud bought some wine of Mrs. Duff
ner. He said he would call again
in the evening after some more wine.
At about $50 o'clock that evening
Mr. and Mrs Duffner were in the
yard when two men walked in and
demanded money. The men wore
false -whiskers, and Mr.. Duffoer only
laughed at the demand and Mrs. d.
stepped up TO one of the men and
pulled off the false whiskers, where.
upon the fellow drew q revolver and
fired at her, the bullet grazing the
side OF her head.
MIR. Dufner jumped on the man
and fight ensued Otto Duffner,
grown son, seized the other man by
the arms from behind and kept him
from using his gun. MIR. Duffner
succeeded in getting his knife from
his pocket and slashed the man
across the throat, from the effects
of which he died few minutes
later.
Young Duffner called his father
to his assistance and he rushed at
the second robber and slashed his
neck with the knife, but the wound
was not serious and before he could
strike again, q third robber, who
had been standing in the road, ap-
preached and shot Mr.. Duffner twice
in the back, killing him almost in.
stantly.
Stanley and Potter, two neighbors.
were about quarter of mile down
the road when they heard seven
shots They stopped and III a few
minutes the little daughter of Mr..
Duffner came down the road crying
that robbers were killing her fatker.
They at once returned and met Otto
Duffner, who said his father had
been killed by three robbers and re
quested them to go in pursuit OF
the murdsrers. They went to the
yard where the fight occurred and
found Mr.. Duffoer dead and one of
the robbers bathed in his own blood,
barely breathing. The fellow had
his eyes open, but would not talk
Stanley, accompanied by Potter and
his brother, started in pursuit of
the two robbers and followed them
for eight miles, when the trail was
lost and they returned. The wound.
ed robber was still living and about
so men and gathered by this time
but failed to recognize the fellow.
They asked him many questions,
but he only stared at them. He
finally asked for drink of water,
but before they gave it to him he
expired He was large, heavy set
man with dark mustache. There
was nothing on his person by which
he could be identified.
At l o'clock a. m. the Sheriff ar
rived and organized a posse and
started in pursuit of the robbers.
The body of the dead robber was
taken to Buffalo by order Of the
Sheriff. Il is believed the posse will
capture the two robbers as one OF
the fellows has q bad cut on his
throat, and it will be hard matter
for him to escape. The wounded
lost his revolver in the fight, and
will not be able to make much of
resistance if overtaken. The men
are evidently strangers in that vicin-
ity, as no one is able to identify the
dead robber.
About two weeks ago 8 farmer,
living seven miles from Mr. Dufner's 8
home, was robbed by three men
wearing false whiskers and answer