Arizona republican., 1917-10-03
NHO STRUCK DICK HEFL|N |S MYSTERY
 TROUBLING POLICE

Who struck Dick Heflin?" promises to become IS much of mystery as the older problem of Who struck Billy Patterson?'
 Four times within q year, perhaps less, Dick Heflin, aged about nineteen years, and onetime popular high school senior and athlete, has been the victim of unexplained attacks. The lat
 est was last night when Dick, in pass
 ing the alley on Mckinley street, be-
 tween Second and Third avenues, at
 the rear of the home of D. H. Burtis,
 was set upon by two unidentified as
 sailants, and checked into semi-uncon-
 sciousness, before he was enabled to
 draw a gun he was carrying and fire
 two shots into the air which sufficed to
 scare the highwaymen and put them to
 flight.
 So far as the police are concerned,
 the affair began and ended there. Not
 the slightest clue as to the identity of
 the murdeTous assailants of the young
 son of the manager of the Talbot X
 Hubbard hardware store was obtain-| able. Though young Heflin was able to
 fire two shots from his gun. there is no
 evidence that they took effect and the
 young man was unable to give even the
 slightest description of his assailants.
 According to young Heflin, ile was
 walking to his home on North Third
 avenue at S:30 o'clock last evening af-
 ter ealing at the home of friend. He
 was about to pass the alley on McKin-
 lev street, between Second and Third
 avenues, when he saw the forms of
 two men emerge from the dense foliage
 at that point Before he had time to draw the gun, the police had given him permission to carry. one of the men grabbed him about the throat and dragged him into the alley. Heflin fought like tiger but with the arrival of q second man, his resistance was unavailing. He was borne to the ground and fingers clutched his throat He felt the hand of the second man turning his l pockets inside out and then his own hand found the gun he was carrying. 1 As he drew the gun he fired a random | shot and the men released him. As they started to run, he pulled the trigger again, but theg un missed fire. A third attempt sent a bullet speeding in the | direction of one of the men. Heflin be- | ieves this shot found it's mark in the | hody of the man a which it was aimed. | There was no blood or other indication at the scene of the encounter to carry
 out this theory.
 1 The sound of the shots attra acted many people living in the vicinity and
 willing hands soon carried the lad into ! the home of D. H. Errtis. Dr. Willard
 Smith was called and he found that there was evidence that Heflin had l been struck over the head with a blunt
 instrument. perhaps a rock, he had
 heen choKed and his shirt was cut in | five places, evidently with a razor or
 q sharp knife. In a few minutes the boy revived and then expressed concern
 nc to his mother learring of his plight. l His father was called. hut his mother was kept in ignorance of the happening ! until her son had sufficiently recovered | from his shock to be taken home | About one year ago young Heflin, | then high school student, was set upon and badly beaten A few months ago he was rendered unconscious when | mysterious intruders found him in his
 home on North Third street and beat i him over tho head Two weeks ago he reported to the police that he was being 1 followed and he was advised to carry q | gun. He was enabled at th9t time to give a meager description of the men (Continued on Pare Two)