Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-12-14
THE VIRGINIA TRAGEDY
Young Marx Tells His story 81
the Shooting.
HAD NO IDEA WHO VICTIMS WBRB

/ Inought at First 1t Was q Joke
When His window Was Broken
and a Gun Pointed at Hin-How He
Shot Three Men-Denies InsuItine
Miss Taylor.
In the parlor of his brother-in-law's
i home in Brooklyn young Herbert
Marx, who shot three men in defend
ing himself from attack on the. family
plantation in Virginia a few nights ago,
told the story of his trying experience,
says the New York Times.
While the young man was telling his
story his brother-tn-law, Mr.. Black
mar, and his brother, Ernest Marx
We're present, and they added some de-
tails to the story from time to time.
In beginning his story Herbert said
that he had not the slightest intimatiop
as ito who the members Of the party
which ATTACHED him were.
mo, indeed" he said, with deep emo
ton; those boys were my friends
knew them all except Douglass. Had
| seen who they were would he dead
today, for never would have used my
gun against them. There was abso-
lutely nothing, SO far as / knew, that
would lead them to bear me any i'll
will"
Marx was staying alone on the plan
tation at the time of the tragedy A
man was employed tc care for the
place, but he lived in house some dis
lance away. The house on the planta-
ton is small two story frame struc-
ture. containing only two large rooms,
both of which are on the ground floor.
One room was used as albedroom and
the, other as living room. Marx was
in the bedroom reading when the at
lacking party appeared. The men, it
seems, had visited the place or the
preceding night, Monday. Dec. 2, but
had failed to get Marx out.
1T YVES after midnight on Monday
night, and was asleep" said Herbert.
II heard a rap on my window, and 1
got up to answer. the summons. A
man was there. but could not see his
face. He said. however, that he was
a drummer. representing a candy store
in Baltimore. He wanted to know the
way to Oak Grove. / told him, but he
fingered and wanted to draw me into
conversation. He was smoking a Gil
gar, and whenever he pulled up the !,
light he would turn away his face.
"'Turn around here and let me see
who YOU are said to him. He mere
ly smiled and turned his head Final
~ closed the window and went to
he'd. heard him still prowling around,
and got up again and told him to go
away. / had called down the dog
from the attic, and when he saw the
dog he left. !"
had learned that the incident Of Mon
day night was the forerunner of the
attack on the following night. The
Identity of the ''drummer" he said.
could not be learned. but Mr.. Black
mar thought it might have been r. b.
Douglass, whom Marx did not know.
It was his purpose, it was believed, to
get young Marx out of the house. Con-
inutng his narrative, Marx said:
Tuesday was stormy day, and
remained indoors ell dav with Herbert
Riatt, who formerly cared for our
olane. but who now has place Of his
,wn. He left me in the evening, and
sat down to read at a table near the
'ront window. 1t was about $50
o'clock. | think, when heard a crash
# breaking glass from the window
ooking out into the rear yard. jump
ID to my feet and saWsas masked man
tan6ing outside the window. /
Re had a rife pointed through the ]
,rokeu window. at me. 4 made leap
or the bed. which stood IN corner
" the rear window and got my re-
Oliver from under the pillow. The ,
lrst impression that | had was that !
ONE Of my friends were playing a !
PRACTICAL joke on me. and I@cried out:
= For Gods sake, you are only fool
mgr Z
1.-THE man at the window made no Z
eply. Then there came another crash Z
8 the glass in the front window was /.
mashed. and, turning. j saw another i
nan standing there with a handKer- j
hief partially covering his face and /
nth a rife leveled at me. sprang !
trough the door opening into the liv- /
1g room and made for the front door. i
opening it. looked out, but it was so
ark ] could see nothing. In another 4
lstant the window which was nearest d
be door was also smashed IN. !,
Before could decide what to do 1
ne Of the men jumped through the i
'indow, carrying part Of the sash with b
i'm. The man was right behind me 4
18th his gun ready. knew that Z
ould not act too quickly. think 4
ut my pistol under my left arm and b
red. The man fell to the floor. Up
J, this time heard no shots. but had
ecome convinced that the affair was
1ything but a practical joke. ! thought r
robably my assailants were oyster q
len. whom | knew to be dangerous II
laracters. 1t was learned afterWard o
lat the man shot first was J. @. 9
tiff. o
81 ran ont onto the porch and locked 81