Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-07-15
HOME WRECkER IS.
GIVEN BEATING. BY.
WOMAN'S HUSBAND.
PRINCETON MAN CARRIES DO.
MESTiC TROUBLES PACKED IN
A WICKED NIGHTMARES AT.
ElNlrY TAKES a BEAUTIFUL
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. GLAD.

Princeton, H., July r. Walter
Hoover defendant in 4 100000 aliena.
ton suit filed last week by Stanley
Mercer Princeton transfer man. was
severely beaten In an encounter on
North Main street VITA the man he
Is ALE gcd TO have wronged
Hoover sustained It deep cash In hlS
head, from which he bled prolusely
and also carries Il black eye and Il
number of bruises said to have been
inilictd by Mercer. After tho assault
Hoover was taken to the Perry Me
mortal hospital. whore his wounds
were patched Up by Dr. NJ 4. Nix
a bitter feud, 1t Is said, has sprung
mp as result Of the alienation suit
and the attack upon Hoover, and
Hoover's brothers are said to have
threatened reprlsals against Mercer
and his family. 1t is reported that
five OF the Hoover clan have been
seen on several occasions during the
last few days riding past the Mef-
Ger home in an automobile and that
they have, sent word To Mercer that
they intend to get him"
Complaint has been made by Hoov-
or 10 States Attorney Johnson, with a
request for warrant for MERGERS al
rest, and that of several other men
who are alleged to have taken part in
the assault, but no action has been
taken pending a thorough investiga-
ton. Immediately after the encoun-
ter Mercer, ii Is said, called Sherih
Spaulding and offered to give himself
mp.
The attack il said to have occurred
at the Burlington crossing on North
Main street. A group Of north end
residents who were seated in Railroad
Park, seeking refuge from the heat
say they saw steamer followed by
smaller car, drive up to the crossing
and stop as the gates were lowered
to permit the passage Of a train.
Several men were seen to alight
from one Of the cars and there ap.
peared TO be COmmOtion. After the
train had passed one OF the ears de-
parted hurredly from the scene, bet
the other remained standing there.
When the car did not move after 4
considerable interval, several Of the
NON In the park went over to mVesu-
gate. They found Hoover slumpet
down HI the seat in daZed condition
and blood streaming down his face
from a wound In his head. ..t
1Jr Nix was called and had the in
jtffed man taken to the hospital.
Hoover was weak from the loss OF
blbod, but the wounds, DR. Nix sai'i,
wire not serious. The cut in the heal
proved to be Onlyear scalp wound,
Hoover, in his report to states At
tofney} Johnson, asserted that he was
attacked by tfye DenU including Mer'
Cel his brother. Allie, George Kirk
laid, John Marine and Harry Erick.
sob. He said they jumped upon the
running board of his car and strdck
hin without warning.
Mercer declares positively that no
one participated in the assault but
himself. The other men, he Insists,
did not interfere Hoover, he says.
struck him in the face with an iron
rod when he leaped on the running
board Of the car and that. taking the
bar away from Hoover, he beat
Hoover over the head with it, iniiict.
Ing the scalp wound.
Mercer declares he was driven to
take things into his own hands b.
HoovCrs insolent manner after his al.
legged relations with MERGERS WIFI
were discovered Even after the suits
were filed, he says, Hoover made
practice OF driving by the Mercer
home many times day, and If by
chance he met Mercer he would
sneer at him and make provocative
remarks. 1t is also claimed that
Hoover openly boosted that he was
judgment proof and Mercer couldn't
collect S. in his damage suit
Mercer says he stood it as long as
he could and then decided the only
way he could stop the annoyance was
to thrash Hoover, whom he overlook
on his way home from town.