The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1938-11-17
FARMER WOUNDS MAN in
RAID ON HIS HENHOUSE
Three Others In Jail, Two Of
Them Charged With Larceny,
AS Result of Investigation
JACOB BETHEL USES GUN

An attempted raid on the hen
house of Jacob Bethel, farmer of
the Bittinger community, early
on Sunday morning, sent Paul
Pratt, 27, of Davistown, Pa, to
Memorial Hospital, Cumberland,
near death as the result Of a
shotgun wound in the back of his
neck, and is the cause of three
others being held in the Oakland
Jail, two of them on charges of
larceny.
Pratt is paralyzed on his one side
as a result of the wound and has been
reported in "fair" condition by hospi-
tai authorities. He was found lying in
the county road at some distance from
the Bethel farm where his accom-
plices had evidently cast him from the
car in which they were endeavoring TO
make their escape.
TWO of the three held for question
ing since Sunday were released yester-
day, but two additional persons were
arrested. Harry Fisher, of Davistown,
and Ralph Browning, of near Oakland,
were the two released from custody,
but John Pratt, brother of the wounded
man, of lockwood, Pa, has been de-
tanned on larceny charge.
c,,ror+. L,o,,Orb+ ~ h11I.
Alexander and Nelson Alexander, of
near Accident, into the sheriff's office
for questioning and both are being de-
tanned. The former is charged with
larceny, while the latter has had no
criminal charge preferred against
him.
According to States Attorney Neil
C. Fraley, Mr.. Bethel was awakened
at four o'clock Sunday morning by
commotion in his henhouse. Investi-
eating, armed with shotgun, he came
upon one man carrying three chickens.
Bethel fired his gun as the man fled
through the woods, and after short
chase Mr.. Bethel returned to find
Ford roadster, with two men, prepar-
ing to leave the premises. AS the car
was being driven out Bethel again
fired his shotgun and he saw the car
going down the roadway, seemingly
out of control, as it was going from
one side of the highway to the other
side. Mr.. Bethel then went for the
assistance of neighbors.
Returning they later found Pratt
lying in the roadway a mile away from
the Bethel home, with gun wounds
in his neck. Pratt was taken in charge
and later sent to the Cumberland hos
pital.
The car, owned by John Pratt, was
found later behind a rock pile two
miles away, and abandoned. BeitzePs
chickens were scattered over the coun-
tryside Sunday morning,
The States Attorney, Sheriff Clar-
ence Spear and Corporal Thomas Cur
RE questioned John Pratt, Fisher and
Ralph Browning Sunday afternoon,
being with Paul Pratt in Oakland on
Saturday evening and who were all
staying temporarily together at the
home of Grover Browning, near town.
John Pratt said the machine had
been borrowed by his brother. All of
the parties denied any knowledge of
the chicken thieving. Fraley attempt
ed to get some information from the
wounded man as to the identity of his
companions, but he would not talk.
County authorities said that there
had been a number of thefts of chick
ems and other poultry from farms in
the Oakland area but that this prob
ably would have a tendency to lessen
such activities.
In the Bittinger community several
farmers have suffered the loss of cat
tie, sheep and hogs as we'll as having
their meat houses entered and robbed
in recent years.