The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-10
Advertiser Bureau. :.

Advertiser Bureau,s
 Selma, Feb. 9. Assaulted. gagged, intimidated, robbed, cuffed. cursed. Kicked prostrate and left lying in the ditch by three masken men; and his barn, his horses and his carriage destroyed by fire is the hard LUCK story told this morning by F. M. Bazleton, d we'll known citizen residing on Selma street, opposite the water worRs com- pany's plant
 MT. Bazleton said this morning he was rubbed of $15.
 said. occurred within two hours, the robbery taking place shortly after 10 o'clock and the fire at 1:30.
 MT. Bazleton could not recognize the cumstances he has suspicious as to their identity. He thinks the men who robbed him also set fire to his barn.
 The statement MT. Brazieton made this morning is as follows:
 My barn is situated on the Range Line road on the edge of the city. One of my horses was sick so at : o'clock last night I went to the barn to doctor him. 1 needed help so I stopped negro man and called him in. do not know his Line road.
 The man offered to get medicine for the horse if l gave him quarter. l took out my pocketbook containing about $lS
  smallest change l had.
 The negro left and I waited for him at the Pensacola railroad depot for a long time. Finally l went back to the barn. 1 was carrying a lantern. but the place was so dark l could not see well.
 '.As I passed my hack. which was standing in the barn, three men jumped out of it and one of them pointed his pistol at me ard made me throw up my hands They were masked and l did mi know them.
 One of them thrust a handkerchief into my mouth so I could not speak. Then they went through my pockets and took all my money.
 '.One of the men never spoke, but the other two talked a great deal. They cursed me repeatedly and after they had robbed me discussed plans for getting
 After they had robbed me they marched me out ot the barn and into the street. As I walked along they cursed me and slapped my face. They said they were going to kill me and talked Of shooting me or throwing me into tho river.
 At a corner however. one of them suddenly gave me a kick which sent me sprawling into a deep mud puddle. As I fell l had A sudden attack of pain to which am subject and which almost paralyzes my right side. I was unable to move and lay in the mud for some time. l was almost unconscious but finally reached home about Il O'CLOCK. think 1t must have been about 10 when l was attacked by the robbers" MT. Brozleton's barn was discovered to be on fire about half past Il. and an alarm was rung in by Police Officer Jerre Mum. The fire had already made much head way. The fire companies responded to the alarm but could render no assistance be- cause there were no water plugs near the barn. The barn with a carriage, three horses harness and feed was destroyed. The en- | tire loss was estimated by MT. Brazletor | to be $T50. His total insurance is $56O. | When interviewed by representative of The Advertiser today. MT. Brazletor | was in bed and seemed quite ill., He wal | at times mentally cratic, probably or account of narcotic medicines administer | ed to him.
 He knew no particulars about the burn ing of the barn, but thought the blas, I was of incendiary origin. He expressed grave fears for his life and said he hat been set upon several times. He deliri ously begged not to be left alone, ant seemed to be in a state of mental col | lapse.
 The matter has been reported to tn police this morning, but Mir. Brazletol could give no detailed description of thu men.