The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-10-31
J. B. Zettler Received Wound That Was
Thought to Be Fatal.
BOLD BURGLARS VISITED HIS PLACE A LITTLE TOO EARLY
Had Not Retired and Gave Chase the Fellows When They
Tried to Get Away One of Them Turned and Shot Him
He Was Gaining on Him.

A daring and most desperate deed
which partakes vividly of the wild
west variety of banditism, and which
may culminate in the death of q well
known citizen, occurred Friday night,
in the west end of the city. The parties
who committed the crime Of shooting
resident have thus far not been
captured, but the police department is
making every available effort to locate
and capture them, even though the
clues upon which they are working are
manifestly in favor of them eluding
the officers. During the past few
months frequent reports have been re-
ceived by the police department of
numerous bold hold ups and burglaries
and robberies, which, although the
police department ferreted out some of
them, yet some of the guilty parties
escaped beyond the pursuit of the local
officers. There have been suspicious
characters in this city within the
past few weeks and the officers have
worked diligently to closely learn their
business here, while not few of them
were arrested, taken before the mayor
and sent to the workhouse for GER
tain time.
At $3.50 o'clock Friday evening,
Turnkey Reigler received a telephone
message at the police station stating
that j. B. Zettler, the we'll known
greenhouse owner in Clarendon avenue
had been shot by burglars and re-
quest was made for the officers to at
once come out to the house and take
up the slight clue which the fellows left
after committing the crime. Nothing
further as to the extent of the shooting
was stated and soon after 1t was
generally reported on the streets that
Zettler had been shot and killed by
burglars and excitement for a while
was intense. However, officers Rohn,
Willis and Wilhelm were summoned
from their duties and detailed to visit
the Zettler home and endeavor to cap
ture the parties and learn what they
could of the circumstances of the
shooting. When they arrived at the
Zettler home they found Mr.. Zettler in
the hands of his attending physician,
DR.. e. d. Brant, and they were inform
ed that he was in a dangerous condi-
tion from a bad wound in the left groin
caused by a shot from a revolver.
After learning some of the particulars
they hurriedly went over the route
described to them as having been
taken by the midnight marauders and
followed this clew as far as they could
distinguish their foot prints and other
clues, but they were not able to trace
them far and therefore no arrests re-
suited, although it was learned that
the men had started in the road lead
ing from Clarendon avenue to West
lawn cemetery, and at the latter point
all trace of them was lost Far into
the night the officers continued to work
on the case in hopes that something
might turn up to give them the
slightest available clue to the men who
are wanted for the committal of the
crime.
The Zettler residence stands several
hundred feet north of Tuscarawas
street, on Clarendon avenue, Just
adjacent to the new school building in
course of erection. A number of green
houses surround the Zettler home and
the building stands a short distance
back from the road facing the east
Friday night Mr.. Zettler remained in
one of the greenhouses, as was his
wont or custom to do for some time
past, till late hour, tenderly watching
over his plants. Mrs. Zettler had re-
tired but she was awakened shortly
after $3.50 o'clock by someone walking
around the house and the hearing OF
voices, which were strange to her at
that hour Of the night. She arose from
her bed. ran to a window and peered
out into the darkness of the night.
Down below, just within the shadow OF
the house at the side, she saw two
men suspiciously walking about. Be-
coming alarmed, but without giving
any signs of fear or fright to the men
below. she hastily walked to a tube
which connects the house with the
greenhouses, used speaking tube, and
summoned her husband telling him
that some strangers were prowling
about the house and that she was
afraid that they were about to effect
| an entrance. Mr.. Zettler ran into the
house and through to the front door
which he opened. There he encounter
| ed one, of the strange men on the
porch whom he questioned as to his
! business there at such an unreasonable
hour The fellow replied that he was
in searcn of something to eat and 8
place to sleep for the night. Mr.. Zett-
Ter answered that 1t was not the right
time OF night to go about begging fol
eatables and that no one would take
strangers in at that time of the night
The fellow responded to Zettler's be,
hest to leave by mumb!ing some words
and declaring that he hal to have some
place to stay, and no ore ought to re.
fuse him sleeping place Just then =
hired man, employed by Zettler, cam,
around the house and at the same
time another stranger who had beer