Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-07-14

!: {. :: !: !: !: !: !:
IN 7Iu0 DlCtAy 49,
i4E\VE3 village of Annandale
II MNT had been in the grip Of
Ia Va a most puzzling and pro-
Ii ES2A yoking mystery. which
III IT@ latterly had developed
Id vi into a species of terror
kFn<HzZ< ism. the peaceful inhab-
bJIeHYfd itants. especially wom-
EzIM on and children, being
64b&3S4 scared out of their II
fTTHSa9 senses"
n..,,r,ng with series Oh petty
sa,,eful annoyances, such as pol
LING chickens, pet cats and dogs;
sol'ss n church bells at untimely
~ turning cows into garden
1o- 49,. robbing clothes lines or be-
..s,ine household linen left out
", night with oil, garbage and mud;
=, .stroving newly-made gardens and
..,ng M young plants, these ana
.,,sr petty outrages gradually took
. q. form of serious mischief and
even crime.
~. unknown culprit or culprits ap-
entity became holder through I'M
s,,v Women left alone for an
ling would be thrown into hyster-
:. Nv seeing the face of a Peep
=. TOM" at their windows. Stables
.ss.utIously left unlocked would be
-.,.red and harness slashed, while
s.-.as or cattle were burned and dis
figured with vitriol.
children caught alone on side
directs in the dark would be bounced
= ~ shadowy figure and pinched
q sIapped, or terrified by a ghost"
/, white. Women also had been
..,red from behind and Rugged or
~ choked; those and the children.
.l.o those who had been frightened
a the "Peeping Tom," declared that
lseIr assailant was a man.
Finally. to cap the long series Of
s,ormIties, sheds, outhouses and
harms had been set on fire, their walls
arst plentifully besprinkled with kerr
c.ene Every effort had been made
u catch the miscreant. yet in vain.
whoever II was seemed to know
vhen watch was being kept, and for
4 time the evil deeds would cease;
.hsp. when vigilance was relaxed, the
pranks broke out anew and in to-
tslly unexpected places. II got to
be 50 that at last no man or family
ielt safe, and 1t was seen that stern
r measures would have to be
adopted
Annandale was located In northern
New Jersey, rs miles from New York,
and within committing distance Of the
cily. Because of its salubrious air
4 had become the home OF several
relfto-do Manhattanites = bankers,
hSyers, merchants and artists. These,
With about an equal number of ma
tlses~-local tradesmen, farmers.
F. dslrymen and truck gardeners-made
Up thriving little community of per-
haps z.o0o souls.
Tae place was just pretty village,
beautined and benefited by the resi-
<ences and improvements introduced
~ the city folk. with good school
and couple of churches. But An
Mandate was still village; there was
no mayor, local affairs being looked
after BY bosrs of trustees. who ap-
pointed the roadmaster, the tax col
hctor. and the constable. The latter
h turn appointed his two deputies.
Consequently. possessing no regu-
M police or fire protection, AMMAN
caie was peculiarly exposed and
equally defenseless. At first, tramps
we're blamed for the mysterious out
nges but many of them occurred
q the dead Of winter when the aver
ise hobo shuns the open country and
= usually snugly sheltered in the mu-
r'cipal lodging houses of the nearby
metropolis. Besides, neither the con-
sable nor his deputies could find any
tanpsc and In the second place the
mischief was done at times and sea-
sons and In localities which argued
~ Intimate local knowledge on the
part Of the perpetrators.
clearly something must be done,
ana that quickly. So one day word
senI round that a meeting of the
H.oing men OF Annandale would be
Iea At the house of Matthew Birge,
FeiFknown metropolitan banker
tnd the leading resident. To this
~7sung came some ~ or Is very
ueat, very angry and very distin-
..1neo gentlemen, including the To-
- PHYSICIAN DR.. Lloyd Osbon.
e1lor scarlett. an old soldier friend
banker Birge. with whom he hap
'aeo 70 be staying at the time, and
'oan corrie. the constable.
me meeting was called to order by
osoon, who briefly and tersely
aogued the long series of outrages
MICA as he truly said, had made
- burden to the residents of An
eAie; ne ended by calling for ac-
~ ana invited suggestions.
~ man after another rose, more
n % oewail his own loss and an
'Anee than to proffer some plan
apprehending the rogue. More
NJ. nv one speaker regretted the fact
~ Annandale possessed no regular
which prompted Constable Cor
explain mildly that three men
-, hardly be expected to pa
a. n miles Of roads day an night,
es: aga ne an his deputies had done
-. pest This was self-evident
s.,rs s'uon which nobody could
;e,,s.. one speaker proposed the
auon OF vigilance committee.