Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-11-12
DOVER PLAINS HEROINE
Young Woman Wild Ride After
Desperate Gang.
SHE TELLS A THRILLING STORY,
e.s County. y. N--She Says She Was
Not Afraid and Though She Is
Called . ..Tomboy- She Does Not
Mind II.

Called = .Tomboy- She Doe. Not
Mind 1t.
Ida Thompson. the Miss OF the
Duchess county mountains. whose
ride astride a farm horse In pursuit OF
desperadoes has made her quite her
oine in the Dover Plains district. says
a Poughkeepsie O.. " dispatch. has
armed herself with cavalry pistols and
is determined TO catch the vandals who
have been stoning her foster fathers
house and burning barns in the neigh
borhood.
Picked up as q little waif by the
Home For the Friendless in Winsted
Conn, when she was but two years
old, Ida remained there until William
Ketcham, whose children had grown
home on a farm near Dover Plains.
Mr.. netcham is q brother of General
John II. Ketcham, who for thirty
years has represented the district In
congress. and father of William NJ
ketcham. formerly mayor and post
master Of Poughkeepsie. He is very
fond of children and has watched over
her just as IL she had been his own
child.
THAT child has cast lot of sunshine
about the farm since she's been here"
said Mr.. Ketcham. looking at her ad-
miringly. with smile playing over his
wrinkled face. "and the way she is de-
Tending my home against our enemies
now shows plain enough what she's
made Of
Meanwhile Ida had led Old Nick. her
fayorite horse, out of the stable and
was showing him proudly to report
er. telling of her daring ride after the
despera does.
There's a pack of towards" she
said, and now that am armed with
pistol l am not in the least afraid of
them.
You see. several months ago we had
man employed in the tobacco fields,
and he came to work one day intoxi-
Gated. The boss-that's SIr. Ketcham-
told him he didn't want him working
around the farm in that condition and
dismissed him. Soon after that |
heard that somebody had threatened
to burn our barn. learned that there
was a band of desperadoes organized
to get vengeance because Mr.. ketcham
had dismissed this hired man.
AT first | paid no attention to these
threats, but not long aftsward we
We're aroused in the middle q the night
to find the barn in fianest Two ar
rests were matie-the two Dlhgey boys.
who are now in the courty Jail at
Poughkeepsie. II
But il did not end there One night
not long ago we heard strsnge noises
about the yard. and l peep&d from the
window and saw masked Zen darting
to and fro. Everybody iri the house
was awakened, and the men ran away.
throwing rocks at the house. smashing
windows and breaking things in the
rooms.
Last Monday night they came
again. but l was lying in wait for
them. l saw the men approach the
house. and Mr.. Ketcham and | went
after them. At first they seemed stub
born. but finally they started on run
They had been stoning the house and
had thrown a stone into my bedroom.
l was determined to find them out and
report them to the authorities. but they
kept at such a safe distance l could not !
recognize them. | told Mr.. Ketcham !
was going to pursue them on horse |
back. He tried TO pursuade me not to /
do it. but in less time than it takes to l
tell it l had a bride on Old Nick and. I
leaping upon his bare back, was off |
after the villains in gallop
The men had a long start ahead of 1
me, but l could see their figures In the \
quite a distance. As came I
up to them they jumped aside and /
grabbed the reins of my horse. l had /
a balestiek in my hand. and l struck
one of them. over the head. He struck /
back with a long stick. cutting this
cash under my eye along my cheek
Just then the reins broke. and that /
saved me. for Old Nick turned with a /
bound and galloped back to the house,
the men following. throwing stones
and cursing me.
Il shall never forget that ride back
% the farmhouse on Old Nick without
1ridle or saddle. holding on with NV
arms clasped around his neck
When l reached home. you can I'm
.gine how mad | was and how deter
mined l am now to get those towards 1
lead or alive. They came back again
Wednesday night. but Mr.. Ketcham
lad been to Poughkeepsie and bought
arms.
'.Now. / am not afraid of the cow
nave to kill them in the attempt II
he authorities give me fair play. viii
lan them next time. But the town
BOARD OF Dover Plains has ia ken the
affair in hand now and guard is sta.
Toned around the house every night I
This may prevent me from chasing
hem again on horseback Maybe it's
lust as Well
Ida is only sixteen years old. but she
S IS muscular and as athletic as a col