Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1883 — The Sunday Times' Man gets Thumped. [ARTICLE]

The Sunday Times' Man gets Thumped.

Colonel John S. Williams, sbnior editor of the Lafayette Sunday Times, was assaulted Cant. De Witt Wallhce, last Thursday morning. The following account ol the affair, we copy front the Lafayette Journal: The assault on Colonel John S. Williams, by Captain DeWitt Wallace in the rotunda of the Lahr House yesterday morning, created intense excitement at the time of Its occurence, and was generally commented on during the day by our citizehs. There was a diversity' of opinion relative to the action of Captitin Wallace, also as to the motive that prompted the assault. Colonel Williams

had finished his breakfast and came down to the office to get his boots polished. He walked up to th# clerk" s desk, and after making some enquiry staffed for the boot blacking stand. Captain Wallace was standing near ttie entrance of the wash room in conversa-

tion with Mr. John Sherwood,' and as Colonel Williams passed, according to Captain Wallace’s statement to the Journal reporter; he stepped up and tapped Colonel Williams on the shoulder with his cane. As the Colonel turned and faced him Wallace said. “You have coupled the name of my wife ahd family with that of the foul murder, Nelling.” with that he struck the Colonel on the head, following up the blow with his fist and breaking the Colonel’s glasses in his eyes. Mr. Sherwood caught th*' Captain’s arms and he then kicked Colonel Williams in the stomach. The Colonel, then rushed to the elevator, and the .Captain, breaking away, fol|owed, but the Colonel closed the glass door on him. The Captain deliberately drove his fist through the door and had partially succeeded in getting into the elevAtpr when Colonel Williams started it Up. , At this moment Captain Wallape had one limb through the elevator doot, and had not a friend assisted (him Irpm his perilous position he woulfi no doubt have been carried upward on tho elevator and seriously injured. t There were several versions»of the affair yesterday, one being thet the attack was made without warning and that the blow was given from bphind. The cause of the fracas was the following item which appeared in last Sunday's Times and which Captain Wallace ( took exception sos “I wonder if Nelling will not endeavor to prove an alibi? He can find lute of swearers in town to help him ont. Let tfim examine the record of the GougarMandler trial for their names.”