The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-01
TR|ESS
To 81 Az
PASTOR
Bible in Breast Pocket Stops
Bullet Believed Fired at Dr.
Marsh BY Bootleegers

a. IS II < "a
LEESBURG, Va. March -.
"A carefully laid plot to ambush
and murder the Rev. i. G.
Menh, brother Of Z. Il. Marsh,
protiiinent insurance rnsn u
Washington, with offices ii the
Woodward building, was made
last night by q band Of men,
thought to have been boOtIeggers
or dope peddlers, who used rifles
and pistols.
Is Third Attempt.
Last nights attempt to assassi.
nate the Middleburg pastor Is the
third within the past four months
and was prompted, it il believed.
by bootleggers against whom DIR.
Marsh has been waging a relent.
less warfare for the past Six
months.
The attack occurred on a lonely
stretch Of country road as DIR.
Marsh was returning from Aide,
Va, in Louden county, to his home
In Middleburg, and occurred about
IuAOO L1AlGS ITOIu Tic A1CI0E p4ACSs
which is near here.
In response to O telephone call,
DR.. Marsh had gone to Aide to
visit b sick parishioner. AS he re-
turned at $3.50 o'clock he was hailed
from thicket Of woods and COM
manded to halt.
stop or We'll blow your
head off," the voice commanded.
The pastor gave his automobile
more gas and started up a hill in
the road. AS his car neared the
top of the hill it choxed, and as
the machine came to q stop q gun
from another thicket of woods i'm
mediately in front Of him barked.
Bullets Riddle Coat.
Three shots from the assaiiant in
front shattered the preachers wind
shield, and as he jumped from the
car, shots from either side Of the
road rang out, three of them going
through the pastors coat.
AS the man jumped from the car
he started UP the road on q run,
the man who fired the first shot
struck him in the breast.
This bullet was stopped By a
carried I'm the blouse Of his shirt
and lodged there.
The force of the shot knocked him
to the ground, but he regained his
feet and fled amid rain of bullets,
making his escape In the darkness of
the night,
Making his way to a nearby farm
house, he summoned aid and called
for the authorities from Middleburg,
who Immediately went to the scene
of the ambush.
An examination of the automobile
showed that the machine had been
riddled by seventeen shots, including
the three which shattered the wind
shield. 1t is believed that in all more
than thirty shots were fired.
DIR. Marsh declares that he was
protected by Divine Providence.
The attack last night, it is believed,
was provoked because of his six
moRths' warfare against dope ped
dlers and bootleggers of Louden
county.
Credence to this theory is given by
the fact that the first attempt, which
was made on, the night of December
Is, was attributed to blind tigers"
On that night shot was fired
through the window of his Middle
burg home, passing within four
feet of the pastor as he sat in his
study.
Subsequent investigation proved
that the assailant on that night had
left a note of warning on his cellar
door which read: 1.-THE Rev. Marsh
will get out of Loudon county. You
know too damn much. You will
get out and stay out. (Signed) we
Blind Tigers of Leesburg'"
The above note was made up of
small pieces OF clippings cut from
q Leesburg newspaper, pasted on a
small piece Of cardboard, which was
found naiiad to the 0aear door