Night Mares

Night Mares

Scare the Guards

And they lambaste the air with shot guns

A genuine case of the nightmares attacked the guards at the Owenton warehouse Thursday night and these defenders of the fort succeeded in repelling the imaginary invasion after a heroic fight.

At ten o'clock and twenty minutes, when most of our citizens were in bed and asleep, there rang out on the stillness of the night about twenty sharp and menacing reports.  The night riders were here, and at last Owenton was to experience all the tingling sensations from these "Knights of the Night."  It was a heart breaking moment.  Women and children screamed and men turned pale at the thought of what had come upon them.  True, it was just a little early for these cavalier gentlemen to make their appearance, but who stops to philosophize about such trifles at a crucial moment like this?

THS FACTS, AS WE UNDERSTAND THEM

Mrs. O'Banion, who lives near the warehouses, thought she heard some unusual noises, and telephoned the Exchange.  She was alone in the house and was just a bit nervous over reports that she has heard and read in the papers.  Members of the guard who had been selected to watch this property were evidently near the exchange and hurried out to the tobacco barns.  As soon as they arrived the shooting took place, and caused immediate stampeding of Walter Baker, Sim Bond, and Joe Kanetzer who were on the grounds guarding the property and who lost no time getting to their homes.  Walter says he doesn't mind to do guard duty, but does hate to be shot at by the other guards, and we doubt if he stands for any more such ignominious routs.  On the following morning the citizens were much chagrined to find that no "riders" had been here, and that all of this shooting was done merely for their edification.

The grand jury investigated the matter and we understand will make a report exonerating the guards and commending them for the timely protection to our little city.  In the meantime, the citizens are indignant over the affair and even if the grand jury has passed it up, writs are likely to be issued against them and they will be prosecuted in the Police of Quarterly Court.  The citizens do not object to a judicious guard being placed over any property within our limits, but they do object to promiscuous firing of shot guns on the streets and the endangering of human life by reckless boys who do not discriminate between "Night Riders" and "Night Mares."

 

Owenton News Herald March 5, 1908