River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-08-07
TROOPS ARE STONED.
Attacks Made at Night on Soldiers
at Shenandoah.
Called to Arms in Order to Resist
Assault on the Camp-They
Are Instructed to ''ShOot
to Kill"

to Kill"
Shenandoah, Pa, Aug. 4.-The en-
tire Eighth regiment was called to
arms during Saturday night as re-
suit of three attacks made by band
of men in ambush, who threw stones
at the troops now in camp on the
plateau outside the town. These at
lacks are becoming so frequent that
Brig. Gen. Goblin has decided to adopt
stern measures to end them. Sunday
night double guard supplied with
ball cartridges surrounded the camp,
and the sentries were instructed that
If the stone throwing was repeated
they must shoot to kill and investigate
afterwards. One of the attacking
party, Lithuanian named William
Stoponitz, is under arrest and IS con-
fined in the guard tent, and the pro-
vost marshal is on the trail OF others.
The Attack.
The first attack, according to Col.
Theodore F. Hoffman, was made at
10:45 o'clock Saturday night. Private
Payne, of company 1, on sentry duty,
City road, which separates the camp
of the Eighth regiment from the
Twelfth. He commanded the men to
halt, and called the corporal of the
guard, but before the latter could re-
spond shower of stones and rocks
were thrown at the sentry. One rock
struck him on the chest, knocking him
down and causing his gun to fall from
his hands. He Immediately jumped
up and fired several shots in the air.
AS he did so, the men ran down the
road and were pursued by several
strangers. The outpost, which had
been stationed some distance from the
camp, heard the shot, and one of the
pickets captured Stoponitz as he came
running down the road. The others
escaped.
The Camp Aroused.
The shooting aroused the whole
camp, and the Eighth regiment was
put under arms and companies B, E
and K were Immediately out in Skin
mish lines. They beat the underbrush
and laurel, which is five or six feet
high all around the camp, but they
could find no one. The regiment was
then called to quarters, and Is minutes
later another shower of stones was
thrown at the stable guard, which is To-
Gated south of the Eighth regiment.
The guard turned out, and three men
were seen running along the road in
the direction opposite from where the
outpost was stationed. The strangers
| were not pursued.
Called to Arms.
Shortly after three o'clock Sunday
morning, the third and last attack
was made, and it was of such a nature
that the bugler, under orders from
| Col Hoffman, sounded the whole regi-
ment to arms. This time the stable
| guard was again the object of the
mysterious attack. Stones in volleys
were thrown at the guard and at the
sentries near by. On account of the
laurel underbrush and the darkness,
the soldiers could mot see the offend
ers. However the sentries fired about
a dozen shots into the bushes, but no
one was hit. Some of the bullets went
whistling over the tents of the sleep
ing soldiers of the Twelfth regiment,
across the road.
Col. Hoffman made a full report to
Brig. Gen. Goblin, who came to camp
during the day to make a full investi-
CATION. He put Stoponitz through a
searching examination. The prison
er said there were only four men in
the body. He gave the name of one of
them as Michael Lavotiz, and said he
did not know who the others were
While under eXaminati ion he made sew
eral contradictory statements. Gen.
Goblin says that he will turn Stoponitz
over to the civil authorities to-day.
He will be placed in Pottsville Jail.
Stringent Measures to Be Taken.
The brigadier general said he had is
sued orders that stringent measures
be taken with all such offenders. ST
have ordered several rounds of ball
cartridges to be issued to each SEN
try he said, land that the officers of
the guard be instructed to have them
used. The guard at the camp will also
be increased"
Col. Hoffman said that he did not
know whether the stone throwing
was done to annoy the troops or to see
what the regiment would or could do.
Last nights occurrence demon
strated that we can be ready for any
emergency in three minutes" he said,
"and hereafter we will stand no non
sense and will give bullet for each
stone" The colonel said there is IL
ugly feeling among many persons
against the troops.
Jumped Overheard