Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 185, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1912 — Young Men Watting For Sweethearts Frighten Woman. [ARTICLE]

Young Men Watting For Sweethearts Frighten Woman.

“Help! Murder! Robbers!” and several other screams rent the air Friday evening about 8 o’clock and a woman ran out to the middle of the street and, spurred on by fear, ran swiftly to the protection of the people gathering at the Gayety airdome, which was nearby. The neighbors on the sleepy little street were aroused by the weird shrieks and in a few minutes a large crowd had gatherel to learn the cause.

The woman was Mrs. Fry, wife of John Fry, the baker at Barnes’ restaurant. They live on Harrison street between Van Rensselaer and Front. She stated that she saw two men hovering around their home and the house occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Collins. One was standing at the corner of a barn on the east side of the house and the other one was behind a tree on the west side. It was growing dark and nothing but their dark forms could be discovered. Thinking that they were attempting to rob the Collins home, she stepped to the sidewalk to get a better look at them. She heard a loud whistle, or thought she did, andj she states that the two men emerged from their hiding places and made a grab for her. She evaded their attack and ran as fast as she could to the theatre and notified the bystanders of the attempted robbery or kidnapping, or whatever it was. The sheriff and the city police were called and Mr. Fry came from his work, but a vigil until midnight brought no disclosures as to the iden-

tity of the bold highwaymen. We believe that people need not have fear for the safety of their lives or pocketbooks from the two men that figured in the scene last night, at least. It is the opinion of the officers that this street was the rendezvous of the men and their, sweethearts and’it would be very easy for Mrs. Fry, mistaking their intentions, to take undue fright.