Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-10-01
AN ATTEMPT
TO MURDER

when desperate attempt was made TO
murder aged Mrs. Benfield, widow of
! the late John Benfeld, while she was
at home alone. She was proyidentially
rescued before the would-be murderer
/ dealt the death blow, although her en-
[ tire head was lacerated and bruised
| by the blows Of heavy iron instru
ment and she was in a state of collapse
! from pain and loss of blood.
Mrs Bendeld, who is ~ years Of age
lives with he son and daughter, Hur-
ley and Miss Emma Benfeld, on the
well-known homestead farm. On Sat
urday morning Hurley and Miss Ben
/ field drove into Danville on business,
leaving their mother at home alone.
About O. clock j. ID. Vognetz, the
well-known Strawberry Ridge meroh-
ant, came driving along on his way to
Danville. AS he approached the house
he perceived a man, or rather a boy
in appearance leap over the fence that
surrounds the house. Casting a hasty
and furtive look over his shoulder as
soon as lie struck the ground he took
off his hat and dashed off across the
| field as fast as he could run.
Mr.. Vognetz had only time to marvel
| at the strange occurrence when he was
startled by the cry OF murder.
Looking in the direction of the sound
! ne beheld spectacle that chilled the
/ blood in his veins. Standing near her
door and clinging to the fence for sup
port stood Mrs. Benfeld, Her hair
was hanging down while her head was
covered with blood, which was also
streaming down over her clothing.
In moments time Mr.. Yognetz
was at her side. She was barely able
to tell her story. Arthur Welliver, she
said, had attempted to murder her.
Mr.. Vognetz's first thought was to
summon help. Mrs. Benfield was un-
able to walk unassisted. Mr., Vognetz
helped her into the house. where she
pointed out the telephone. The ex
change of the rural line is in Mr.. Vog
metz s residence. Calling up his wife
| he apprised her of what had occurred
and directed her to call up the several
/ farm houses near Benfield's and ex-
plain the situation, urging the women
| folks to hurry to the Benfield home to
render assistance. 1t being Saturday
morning, unfortunately several of the
nearest families were absent in Dan
Vile, attending market.
Finally Miss Appleman and another
lady whose name has not been ascer-
tained, reached the Benfield home In
the meantime Matthew Sheep had
come driving along and was stopped
/ by Mr.. Vognetz, who explained the
dreadful plight that Mrs. Benfeld was
/ in, Mr.. Sheep instantly Joined Mr..
! Vognetz and the two men did all they
could to relieve the poor woman that
was the victim Of the meroiless as
sault.
At her direction they telephoned to
D. r. Eckman's store in Danville,
where the Benfields are in the habit
OF dealing. Neither Hurley Benfield
not his sister were in the store, but
Mr.. Eckman. as soon as he learned
what had occurred, went out on the
street and found them. Shocked at the
dreadful news and filled with direful
apprehension of what the result ight
be the son and daughter drove home
as fast as the horses could carry them
Mr.. Vognetz had also telephoned
in for doctors and in response DIR.
Newbaker and DR.. Paules drove out
to the Benfield farm. BY the time
Hurley Bentield and his sister reached
home they found plenty of assistance,
as the attempted murder had been
pretty generally noised about the
neighborhood.
By this time Mrs. Benfeld was able
to tell all that had occurred. 1t ap.
pears that the boy, Arthur Welliver,
who is about seventeen years of age, is
an object of especial dread to the Ben
field family. While she was entirely
alone to her dismay Mrs. Benfeld saw
the fellow walk by the house. He
went as far as the wagon shed,
where the absence of the family driv.
ing carriage clearly showed that the
son and daughter, as is quite customary
on Saturdays, had driven into town.
AT the wagon shed he turned and went
back to the house.
Owing to an alleged offense of a very
serious nature committed in the past
the boy had orders never to place his
foot on the Benfield farm. AS he ap.
preached the door of the house Mrs.
Benfeld asked him what he wanted
and told him to leave.
The boy told her that he would show
her what he wanted and springing up
on her he seized her by the throat and
threw her upon the floor At this
juncture his eyes fell upon steel tube
as thick as mans wrist and about
two feet long, belonging to a cream
separator, which lay in the kitchen
sink. Selling this as a weapon he be.
gan to deliver blow after blow upon
she defenseless woman's head.
There was no one to hear her cries