Evening star., 1909-07-12
BLANKET PUT OVER HEAD
Discharges Revolver Blind and Gets
One of His Assailants.
VICTIM WRESTLES WITH HIM
Another Shot Ends Struggle-Dying
Man Says He Is Son of
Market Master.

Firing blind, with his head bound up
in blanket thrown over him by his
assalants. Joseph Smiths revolver shot
got one intruder in his employers barn
early this morning on his third and only
successful attempt to account for strange
noises on the farm of ]. f. Wilhoite, on
Central avenue, Seat Pleasant, near Cap
ital Heights, Md. Smith thinks two ne
gro companions of his victim, Leo Miles,
got away.
Smith did not realize he had hit a hui
man target and when he disentangled his
he returned, few moments later after
giving the alarm, he found Miles unable
to get away.
But Miles had a good fight in him yet.
bangs on the head with a board were
not able to quell Miles spirit. Another
revolver shot was necessary to put him
out of business, and Smith administered
it effectively.
Miles Expected to Die
Miles, who is eighteen years of age and
says he is son of Joseph Miles, market
master of the p street market, In this
city, is in a critical condition at the Cas-
ualty Hospital, suffering from gunshot
wounds in the abdomen, left groin, left
hand and decorations about the face and
scalp.
Upon his arrival at the hospital Miles
was Immediately placed upon the opera
tion table. His wounds will probably
prove fatal.
Smith was placed under arrest by
Constable Parmon on a charge of as
sault. Unless bail is procured for him
this afternoon he will be taken to Up
per Marlboro and locked up in the Jail
pending the result of Miles injuries.
Miles denies that he had any COM
panions in the barn, declares his pur-
pose was peaceful and that he only
wanted to sleep In the hay after having
lost his way.
A different view of his purpose is taken
by Smith, Smiths employe and the ccun-
ty authorities. All agree that Miles is
a chicken thief and belongs to bold
| band of midnight marauders which has
been levying live tribute on neighbor-
hood hen coops.
Smith Heard Strange Noises.
Smith, who is an engineer, is employed
on the Wilhoite farm.
He came from Omaha, Neb., and ar
rived at Capital Heights early in Janu-
ary. He found work on the farm and
| has a room in the loft of Mr.. Wilhoite's
barn.
| About o'clock this morning he heard
| a noise in the barn. He descended to
/ ahOllt III hIlf discovered nothing
turned in again. The noise that had dis
| turbed him was repeated a few minutes
| later. A second time he went to investi-
gate. finding nothing. He heard the noise
| for the third time, an hour and half
| later. This time when he went to look
he found three men on the barn floor.
| He had taken his .44-caliber revolver
| with him. But the men were too quick
| for him.
| AS he entered the barn two men threw
| blanket over his head.
Both of them were colored, he be-
lieves but is not positive, as it was
quite dark.
| Smith struggled. and was able TO fire
| two shots with his revolver. He tried
TO fire third time, but the cartridge
| failed To explode
assailants apparently gone. He then
went 10 Mr.. Wilhoite's house, the owner
having been aroused by the shots.
| He asked for a rifle. Owing to the
l
he was unable to reach the gun when
! Mr. Wilhoite handed it out Later Mr.
I Wilhoite went down stairs.
Miles Shot Into Submission.
Smith returned to the barn, where he
| discovered Miles, wounded and unable
| to flee Miles, nevertheless. showed fight
/ They wrestled together for ten or fif-
| teen minutes Smith broke two wash
boards over Miles head. Miles attempted
to arise, when Smith pulled the trigger
| of his revolver and shot him again.
/ Dr. Mckenzie of Capitol Heights was
| summoned and administered tirst-aid
| treatment to the wounded man. He was
/ carried from the barn and placed on
the lawn Of Mr.. Wihoites place.
| About $50 o'clock Magistrate Elan Bch-
| rend was summoned 10 the house. With
| Constable H. l.. Parmon he talked with
Smith, and got his story of the encounter.
Miles also made a statement to Mag
istrate Behrend. He said he had walked
from Baltimore and got lost and went to
the barn TO sleep.
The wounded man denies that there
wee two colored men with him. He was
alone he declares, at the time he was
attacked
He was removed to Benning in a dayton
wagon by Justice Behrend. From there
4
the ambulance. Policeman Brown of the
ninth precinct accompanied the man to
the hospital
Chicken Thief, Says Magistrate.
In speaking of the shooting. Magistrate
Behrend said:
Il believe that Miles is at the head of
a band of chicken thieves. who in the
/ past few months have stolen several thou
sand dollars worth of chickens in the
vicinity of Capital Heights"
Seventeen Dead Bodies Taken From
Mine at Belmez, Spain.
PARIS. July IA special dispatch re-
/ ceiyed here from Lisbon reports a serious
explosion of fire damp in a coal mine a,
Relmez Spain. Several hundred miners
are said to be entombed. Efforts at res.
cpuc are being made, and forty-two liv-