Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-04-07

ESCAPE IN A WAGON.
Thirty Shots Fired, One of Which
Struck Shelton Groves on the Wrist.
womeE Watch Battle.

A gang of buglars made a daring
attempt to rob the country residence
of James S. Groves, rea&ty opera
tor, half a mile from Mt. Ida, Alex
and1la comfy, and about three mile:
from Washington last night.
Over thirty shots were fired, bu
only one fired by the burglars tool
effect. Shelton Groves, twen,y two
,was shot in the wrist and painfully
but not dangerously wounded.
1t is believed several of the shots
fired at the would-be housebreakers
took effect, but other members ol
the gang bundled them into a big
wagon which was waiting and an
escaped. They were last seen COM
ing toward Alexandria.
While the pistol battle was at Its
height, two young Washington wo-
men who had been guests at the
Groves home last night, sat in an
automobile less than 100 feet from
the scene Of the fight. No shots
were fired by the burglars in the
direction of the automobile. The
names of the young women are not
given. =
Mr. Groves, his wife and daugh-
ters are in Norfolk, where he oper-
CITES a hotel. Shelton, who was
shot; George, aged twenty, and Wal
lace, 'thirteen, were the only ones at
home, ..a,.59s ,- sS'...
Shelton and George gave dinner
party at the house last evening,
most Of the guests being from
Washington. Shortly before mid
night, the guests left in automc-
bEles. Two of 1the young women had
no escorts, and Shelton and George,
accompanied by, their younger
brother, started .ifor. Washington
With them in their automobile.
When nearly to the city. Wallace
was taken! suddenly ill, and IL, was
aiecessary,to turn back to the house.
Just after Shelton and George
Groves started away i'm the automo-
bile, James Scott, cofored, who slept
in room in the rear OF. the second
faoaB SllS::aaso was the, only person
in the house at t@the time, was awak-
ened by the sound of breaking glass.
Getting out of bed and looking out
Of the window, he saw a gang of
men attempting to get in one of the
windows oni the first floor. Three
more men were trying to break into
the garage.
Scott got a shotgun and opened
fire. The men in the yard returned
the shots Scott had another loaded
shotgun in. the room, which he also
fired: By. this. time several. bullets
had ;stl1ick the window frame close
to his head.
He then got pistol and empr'et
it at the crowd.
Just as, Scott had exhausted M.
ammunition, Shelton and George re
turned IN the automobile. They has
heard the shot when some distance
away ard had driven ait top speed.
There was loaded revolver A
*he automobile. Shefton Grove
seized the weapon, jumped from tn
automobile, and began firing. Th
men in the yard then turned :thel
attention toward him, and severs
bullets whiStled close to his heat
but the only shot. Which took effes
was the one that Struck his wris
The men, then, lgst into larg
wagon, with a white top, and droN
off toward Alexandria. The fat
that two of the men bad to be helps
into the wagon leadA to the beli'
that they we're .wounAed. -ps
How many men the We're in Il
gang coul dnot be aEurately dete
rnined. Shelton and George Groy
said they did not believe there VI
less than eight, but SEptt the color
man, said that when Nhe looked 9
the window first, it ssemea to N
Ike there were doz@ or more
the yard.
Wallace, the youneaE st brother, g
out of the automobile with Shelf