The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-12-13
WHICH Came Very Near
Striking The Occupant
An Unsigned Letter Received
By Mr. Carpenter
Which Threatened The Lives
Of Himself And Sons

Zuck, Ohio, Dec. l1--What appeared
TO be an effort to carry out In part
. threat made against r. M. Carpenter
and his two sons. Clifford and Carey,
of this place was almost accomplish.
cd at about $3.50 O'Clock Tuesday even.
ing when Clifford. the youngest son,
was waylaid by three men Just north
of here and was fred upon. He was
riding In a buggy and escaped being
hit by three bullets, which passed
through the buggy top and near his
head, by driving swiftly away.
Shortly after d o'clock In the even.
ing q man living In Danville drove
along the road and was nearing this
village when a man stepped from the
roadside and pushed an electric fash.
Night In bis face. He was not detained,
but was ordered to drive on by voice
which he could not identify. He was
told that he was not the person that
was wanted. His experience was made
known Immediately upon his arriyel
here but no explanation Of the oc.
curance could be made.
About fifteen minutes after the
first man had been accosted young
Carpenter came along the road and
was stopped at the same place In the
road which was very dark on account
Of shrubbery and trees ut each side
No light flashed upon him nor was
anything said to him by the men. The
iirst that he was aware OF their pres
ence was when his horse came to q
stand and then three flashes OF fire
and az many revolver reports came
almost instantaneously. Carpenter
was bewildered for moment but
managed to use the whip on his horse
and was soon leaving the spot Mt a
rapid pace. When he arrived In this
village with a story even more thrill
ling than that of the man from Dan.
vile considerable excitement broke
out. Word was sent to Coshocton
and two bloodhounds were secured.
Early Wednesday morning IA mum.
ber OF men went to the spot where
the shooting was done and tried to
get the hounds to- take the trail. All
efforts were futile, however, and moth
Ing further could be done. The tracks
of three men could plainly be seen ut
lhe side of the road where they had
waited for the unsuspecting youth
who knew that he had been attacked
by more than one man but was unable
10 ascertain the exact number.
Last week an unsigned letter was
received by Mr. #. M. Carpenter
which threatened the lives OF himself
end two sons. Not much Importance
was attached to the letter at the time
and IL was practically forgotten until
last Wednesday night when an at
tempt was made to enter the Carpen'
ter general store ut this place, but
the burglars were frightened away by
Mr.. Carpenter who was inside the
store ut the time. The next evening
the Carpenter barn was broken open
and q buggy was taken out. The We
hicle was pulled considerable dis
tance away from the barn and then
the miscreants were, II IL supposed,
frightened away. Not until Tuesday
evening was anything serious antici'
pated by the father and sons. avery
effort will be made to trace tAe men
who did the cowardly shooting.
The letter received last week was
preserved and has now been turned
over to the postal authorities who
will attempt to trace It's origin. II
came to this village and was received
by Mr.. Carpenter through the rural
mail delivery system.