Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1920 — BOY ROBBING PEACH TREE [ARTICLE]

BOY ROBBING PEACH TREE

la Shot by Jerry Btanfleld, Formerly v of Near Remington. Jerry Stanfield, a former wellknown fanner of near Remington, now a resident of Fowler, came near killing a Fowler boy Monday night while protecting his fruit trees from depredations of youngsters. A Fowler paper gives the following account of the matter: Linden Martin, son of Thomas Martin, living on west Third street, was shot and probably seriously Injured Monday night by Jerry Stanfield, living on east Fifth street, following a raid that young Martin had made In company with four companions on a young peach tree belonging to Mr. Stanfield. The boys were found by Mr. Stanfield preparing to rob his peach tree. He caught them unaware of his presence and when he spoke to them they broke and ran out Into the road, which runs past the house. There they stopped and Mr. Stanfield fired at them with a shotgun loaded with buckshot. The charge of shot hit young Martin, taking effect In Ms left thigh, which was badly riddled with the heavy shot. Hls leg on the side wae badly riddled with the shot, almost his entire thigh being a mass of raw flesh. The shot knocked him down, and he began to call for help. People living In the vicinity were attracted to the scene and he was carried onto a porch of a nearby residence and later taken home In an automobile. Mr. Stanfield has been bothered a great deal by young boys robbing his fruit trees. A few nights before some one robbed a small peach tree on which the fruit was ripening, pulling down and breaking a number of the limbs, and scattering green peaches which had been pulled off the tree along on the ground. ' The lad was attended by a physician Immediately upon his arrival home. He passed a rather restless night Tuesday night, but was reported Wednesday as getting along very nicely, and it Is believed that he will suffer no permanent injury aside from having a badly scarred leg.