The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-12-09
GAVE ALAF s
AND s. s RIFFS
N BED MAN
Francis KilIerker, Who
Has Been Doing Odd
Job $ About Barnard
Since Summer and Who
Was Known to the Mail
Carrier, Was Assailiant

Bethel, Dec 9.--Oliver w. Barrows,
rural carrier on route 3, was the VIC
tim of an attempted holdup when on
the last leg of his trip yesterday aft
ernoon, about 2:30 o'clock. His assaiI-
ant, Francis Kellerker, aged about 25
years, who has boarded in Barnard
village about three months, suddenly
appeared from behind fence at turn
in the road near Fred Il. Aliens and
pointed a revolver at him, shouting,
Hold up. Hold up"
Mr.. Barrows, knowing the man quite
well and having done postal business
with him, was perhaps less alarmed than
If he had been stranger, and, an
swering Hold up nothing" whipped
up his horse, but not until the high
wayman had jumped aboard the
sleigh, from which advantageous po-
sition he rained three blows upon Mr..
Barrows' head with tbe butt of his
revolver.
Although bleeding profusely from
the scalp wounds, Mr.. Barrows con-
tfnued his rapid journey homewards
The highwayman's position on the
sleigh not being very secure, Mr.. Bar
rows succeeded In shaking him of.
and the man was seen to leave the
highway and cut across the fields.
Driving up to Mr. Aliens farm house,
Mr.. Barrows told what had occurred
and the alarm was given to people in
Barnard, Bethel and Woodstock. From
this direction Postmaster Noble, Dep
uty Sheriffs Putnam and Wilson were
among those who armed themselves
and went in pursuit.
Before reaching Barnard village, the
Bethel men learned that after a chase
Of about two hours, Kellerker had en-
tered the home of Grover Hodges.
near his boarding place in Barnard
village, and had been arrested there
by High Sheriff w l.. Fairbanks of
Springfield and Deputy Sheriff Clar-
ence Paul Of Woodstock. who had ar
rived in Barnard from Woodstock dur
ing the hunt He was taken to the
county seat and was safely in Jail be-
fore bedtime He did not resist the
officers.
Mr. Barrows' wounds were dressed
BY DR.. F. c. Burrell Of this village
They are not considered dangerous.
He supposes the motive of the assault !.
"a haye been robbery as it is wd
known that for two or three weeks
before the Christmas holidays the mail
carriers issue a larger number of mon
ey orders than usual. Mr.. 'Barrows
had issued six during the day. He
recalls meeting Kellerker on his route
Dnly day or two apo and thinking
hat the fellow acted strangely.
Kelierker came TO Barnard late in
he summer as an agent for Rochester
Y. Y. nursery stock but apparently
lid not succeed very wen at that busi
less and had worked on the state road
n Barnard and had assisted 5. r. Al
,ens Of Barnard few times in shoe
ng horses He boarded az Mrs. Char
otte Smiths in Barnard and had
cemed to be peaceful and law-abiding
intil now. People are at a loss to ac-
0unt for his caring 10 expose himself
o what was the practical certainty Of
prison sentence under United States
av for no greater motive than the
small amount of mon
v carried by the mail man.
Mr.. Barrows is being congratulated
or his pluck In scorning the threat Of
freebooter asa true guardian of pub \
e property.