Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1908 — THE OTHER SIDE. [ARTICLE]

THE OTHER SIDE.

Pancoasts Say Raeda Was a Voilent Anarchist THREATENED TO KILL THE FAMILY And Burn Their Home, They Say, And Came At Them With a Knife and a Club. V The article in Wednesday’s Democrat regarding the trouble out at *A. C. Pancoast's in Newton tp., a ftuv days before, has caused a reply from Mr. Pancoast and Mr. Halstead. The information on which The Democrat’s article was based was secured from the officer and his assistants who went out and brought the man in, an<L they say our article was correct in every way. The story, as published, of course, was largely the Russian’s side of the matter, and in justice to the “other side” we cheerfully grant space for a reply. We would add to their reply that Mr. Pancoast denies ever having promised the man more than the |lB per month or that he had any money or gave him any money to pay for the goods which he had bought for him, amounting to about 15. The reply of Messrs. Pancoast and Halstead follows as written by them: The Russian came from Chicago July 3rd, and w’hile he was entirely ignorant of farm work yet he remained several weeks. The man was not right in bls' mind at times from his actions. He would go about sometimes all day without saying a word to anyone and act very sullen. When asked what was the matter he would say “Peter no good. Guess me kill myself.” Mr. Pancoast and Everett Halstead exchanged work in haying. Halstead had two Russians at work for him and they had not been in the field one half hour until Peter began stirring up trouble with the other Russians. This caused considerable comment from the other workmen, as they expected the Russians would enjoy each other’s company.

Work in haying being over, Peter went to Halstead and offered to work for him but Halstead’s bead men, Leslie Thompson and Wm. McKinney, protested and told Halstead that they did net like Peter’s actions and believed that the man was not right in his head. Halstead refused to hire him. Peter was then working for $lB per month, and told Mr. Pancoast, “Me want more money or me go back to Chicago.” Mr. Pancoast said “All right, Peter, your money is ready. You can go any time.” Peter said “Me fun. No work in Chicago. Board $5 per week. Me stay longer.” But his actions were so queer at times that Mr. Pancoast decided that he would keep him no longer. But Peter insisted on staying longer, but finally packed his grip and agreed to go. Then changing his mind after his peculiar manner he unpacked and said “Me stay." Pancoast told him “No, Peter, you must go this time. Halstead is .here and wllLtake you to the train.” So Peter repacked his grip and again agreed to go. Then Peter became violent, threw down his money and said, “Me kill you, burn your house if you not give me more money." Peter seized a club and started for Mrs. Pancoast, who stepped to one side; but had her apron entirely torn off before getting away. Mr. Pancoast rushed in and had his hat demolished. Halstead went into the game at this point and Peter pushed outside the yard gate. Then Peter turned and struck Halstead in the chest. Halstead seized Peter by 'the throat and threw him down at once on the ground. Pancoast and Halstead then proceeded to tie him, and as they say they did not have any silken cords or satin ropes to tie him with, they took lines from the buggy horse and lashed him to the fence and telephoned to the authorities. . Peter was handled as carefully as possible* so both Pancoast and Halstead say, under the circumstances. He was never struck once but he was so violent that he broke loose twice and they decided to make sure of him and they tied him to the fence in a good shade, in a comfortable position, and remained by him keeping off the files. Peter continued to curse and rave and threaten until the authorities arrived when he changed his tactics at once and became very placid and as meek as a lamb, and succeeded so well on his way to Rensselaer _ * ' .'..v ’ • •

that the authorities believed that "Poor Peter had been abused.” The authorities saw the man tied, and it looked hard to them. They did not see Peter’s violent actions before they arrived, nor did not hear his criminal threats. The Peter they heard was the placid, mild, much abused, poor Peter that went according to his story without his dinner, etc. Peter was a man, we judge from the way he tells his story, that never learned how to tell the truth. Peter was considerable of an anarchist and had much to say about Chief of Police Shippy of Chicago and wanted to see him killed. He was an educated fellow and contributed regular articles to a paper in Boston. Only a few years ago Newton county witnessed a tragedy similar to what this might have been. This was when Mr. Medworth was murdered in broad daylight by his hired man and his house burned with himself and hired man in it. Mr. and Mrs. Pancoast were alone their children being in Minnesota at the home of Rev. Paradis, but their neighbor stopping in on his way to Rensselaer seemed to the family a Godsend. Had the officers from this town found a smoking ruins and two dead' bodies in the heap or yard they would probably have had a different train of thoughts. But they saw the would-be murderer tied to a fence and they felt sorry for him.