Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 285, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1916 — SIMPLE YOUTH ATTEMPTS MUBDER [ARTICLE]

SIMPLE YOUTH ATTEMPTS MUBDER

Joe Warbritton, Fair Oaks Youth, Attempts to Kill Employer For Discharging Him. Joe Warbritton, the simple youth from Fair Oaks, who has figured in a number of escapades within the past few months, and who was caught the first of the week and sent back to the penal farm at Greencastle, "from which, he escaped some time ago, figured in another affair last Thursday evening, at which time h e attempted to kill his employee, LSuis Whicker, living five miles north of Mt. Ayr, because the latter had seen fit to discharge him. - The following account was taken from the Mt. Ayr Tribune: Joe Warbritton, who has been employed by Louis Whicker, on the farm five miles north of town, and who Mr. Whicker discharged Thursday evening, became angered over the dismissal, arose early Friday morning, went to the Whicker home, rapped on the door, and when Whicker opened the door exclaimed: "Now I’ve got you,” at the same time raising a double barreled shotgun, which only for the quick move on Whicker’s part in catching the gun, would probably have discharged it squarely in Whick- - er’s face. As it was, the - charge only passed close to Whicker, leaving him unharmed except for slight powder bums about the face. A warrant was sworn out for young Warbritton’s arrest and Sheriff Hess and Constable Ponsler went for him. He was not to be found and it was generally supposed that he had made his getaway, but he was seen in Mt. Ayr in the evening and the constable began a search for him at once. He disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared, and the search was abandoned until Saturday. Early Saturday morning he walked into town and gave himself up. Joe escaped from the penal farm last summer, where he had been sent for abusing his mother, and as he is still wanted there, will not be prosecuted on this charge until he is released from the farm. His breaking away will in all probabilities cause an extention of his sentence there, and it looks now as if Joe was in for a rather indefinite period. After his escape from the penal farm last summer he hid around the vicinity of Fair Oaks until the troops were called to the border, when he joined them and went south. He soon grew tired of border army life and made several unsuccessful attempts to get away from it but was apprehended each time, until as a last resort, wounded himself and secured a discharge. He is a lad of less than ordinary wit and a strain of family insanity back of that. It is a case of the unfortunate but it is also to be hoped that he will be better guarded at the penal farm this time than he was before. For that Thanksgiving party don’t forget your refreshments. Order your ice cream, ices, etc., from the “Pallas” today. Phone 119.