The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-30
A CANTON SENSATION
McKINLEY's TOMB SAID TO HAvR
BEEN ATTACKED.
THE GUARDS STRANGE STORY.
FIRES AT ONE MAN AND is ATTACK
ED BY ANOTHER.

Private Deprend Claims That He
Saw n Man Slipping From Tree to
Trce-He Fired for Effect, but His
Gun Was Knocked Up by Another
Man, Who Attacked Him with N
Knife-In the Struggle He Rolled
on the Vault and the Men Ran
Away-Incendiary Threats Have
Been Heard In Canton.
Canton. o., Sept. ga strange
story comes from West Lawn Ceme-
terry tonight. where company of
regulars from Fort Wayne, Mich,
are guarding the vault in which the
body of the late President Mckinley
lies. 1t is to the effect that the guard
on duty on top of the vault fired a shot
at one man who refused to heed his
challenge, that the shot was diverted
by another man who appeared from
another direction, and that an effort
was made to stab the guard. Military
regulations prevent either the officers
or the men of the post from being
quoted on any matter connected with
their service, and for this season Capt.
Biddle, who is in command was OBJ
liged to decline to be quoted at the
camp tonight. He will make a full
report to his superior at once.
Reliable authorities made the follow
ing statement:
The Private's Queer story.
Private Deprend was on guard duty
on top of the vault at point COM
manding the entrance below and the
approach from the rear. Shortly before
1880 o'clock he saw what he took to
be the face of a man peering from be-
hind tree about forty feet from his
post. He watched 1t for twenty min
utes, he says. and at 745 saw the man
hurry to tree ten feet nearer. He
challenged the man to halt, but this
was not needed and the fellow APP
preached nearer. Deprend leveled his
gun and aimed to shoot for effect, but
just at this instant another man. who
came towards him from the opposite
side, caught the gun, threw 1t up and
the bullet was spent in the
air. This same man struck De-
prend on the right side of the
abdomen with knife or other sharp
weapon, cutting an IL" cash in his
overcoat an inch and a half long each
way and smaller one in his blouse.
The flesh was not broken, but was
bruised under the cuts in the clothing.
Deprend in the struggle fell and rolled
down the side of the vault. Lieut..
Ashbridge, officer of the day, was in
front of the vault, and rushed TO the
top on hearing the shot, but the men
made good their escape. All members
of the company on hearing the shot
hurried to the vault, and, besides
searching the cemetery, the guard was
increased.
Deprend Has Good Record.
Deprend is a recruit enlisted in New
York about four months ago. He is
said to be an excellent soldier and to
have a fine record with his officers.
He says the man who attacked him
was masked, but that the first one he
saw was not masked. He says the lat
ter carried a white package in his
right hand and something that gilt
tered in his left. Since the incident
storeis have been told in camp of some
incendiary conversations overheard in
the crowds that have visited the ceme-
terry, including one to-day alleging
that some stranger said:
Lots of people would like to see
this whole thing blown up"
There are seventy soldiers at the
cemetery, twenty of whom are con-
stantly on guard duty about the vault
and camp.
Carried White Package.
The first man, the guard, says, car
ried a small white package in his right
hand and something that glistened
like a polished weapon in the other.
The second one, the guard says, wore a
mask over his face. Lieut.. Ashbridge
was on duty less than hundred feet
away in fl mt of toe vault, and is said
to have reached the top within five
seconds after he heard the shot, but
when he arrived the guard was at the
foot of the slope in which the vault
is built. where he rolled after
the assault, and the supposed
prowlers were making their escape with
a good lead. Others of the company
were attracted by the report of the
rifle, but reached the scene too late to
be of any assistance, except to partici-
pate in the pursuit. and the search
made of the cemetery and in increasing
the guard for the night.
Stories regarding the incident when
they reached the city were connected
with the jail delivery that occurred
about the same time.
While there seems to be no doubt
that at least two providers attempted
to reach the vault, there is much diff
the intruders, who evidently made good
their escape, as the cemetery has been
searched over in vain.