The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-30
SOLDIER FIRED A SHOT
Sentinel Guarding Presidents
 Grave Cut With Knife.
When Private Dsrrsnd Aimed to Fire at Approaching Figure He was Attacked oaacsrs wIll
 Not Talk.

Canton, O., Sept. ss.--A strange story comes from westlawn Cemetery tonight where company of regulars from Fort Wayne. Mich..s are guarding the vault in which the body of the late President
 Mckinley lies. It is to the effect that a guard on duty on top of the vault fired
 q shot at one man who refused to heed his challenge; that the shot was diverted by another man who appeared from an- other direction and that an sSfort was. made to stab the guard. Military regu- latfons prevented either tho officers or the men of the post from being quoted
 on any matter connected with their serv-
 fec and for this reason Captain Riddle,
 who Is in command. was obliged to de- cline to be quoted at the camp tonight.
 He will make full report to his sr- periors at once. Reliable authorities made the following statement tonight:
 Private Deprend was on guard duty on top of the vault at point command ing the entrance below and the approach from the rear. Shortly before 7:s0 o'clock he saw what he took to be the face of q man peering from behind q tree about forty feet from his post He watched it for twenty minutes. he sgys. and at 1:A5 saw the man hurry to q tree ten feet nearer. He challenged the man 70 halt but this was not needed and the fellow approached nearer. Deprend leve1ed his sun and aimed to shoot for effect but just at that instant another man who came towards him from the opposite side caught the gun. threw 1t up and the bul- let was spent in the air. This same man struck Deprend on the right aide of the abdomen with knife CT other sharp weapon. cutting an '.L' gash in his over coat. an inch long and smaller one in his blouse. Tho flesh was not broken but was bruised under the cuts in the clothing
 Depreud. In the struggle. felI and rolled down the side of the vault Lieutenant 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 hear ing the shot, hurried to the vault, and besides searching the cemetery, the guard was increased.
 {, 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 latter carried white pack age in his right hand and something gllt- tered in his left.
 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 doubt that at least two providers attempted to reach the vault there Is much difference of opinion as to the object of the irtrpd- CTS who evidently made good thir es- cape.
 Since the incident, stories have been told of some incendiary conversations overheard in the crowds that have visited the cemetery, including one today ale leging that some stranger said:
 Lots of people would like to see thim whole thing blown up." There are seventy soldiers at the ceme- tery, twenty of whom are constantly on guard duty about the vault and camp.