Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1901 — A Murderous Assault. [ARTICLE]

A Murderous Assault.

: Friday afternoon; about four o’clock, on the Gifford railroad, between Gifford and Laura stations, a murderous and unpro- . voked assault ” was committed. ' Jim Blake a young man about 19 i or 20, and son o’ Al Blake, a well known resident of Barkley Tp., had been working on the Gifford railroad and had been discharged. ;He had previously had trouble i with Henry Tinder, another work- ; man, about 51 years old. Blake ■ seems to have blamed Tinder for ( his discharge and in revenge struck him on the head with a jack handle, a heavy wooden stick, about 3 or 4 feet long, approaching him from behind. Tinder was i very badly hurt, and was at first thought likely to die. His scalp was laid open, to the skull, for several inches, and some concussion of the brain suffered. He remained unconscious until the next forenoon. Dr. Jay Jones, of Medaryville, attended him, and from him we learned by telephone, Saturday afternoon, that he was better and would recover. It is thought that Blake was laying for the foreman who discharged him, but he kept too close watch, and so he struck Tinder, instead. Blake went to his father’s house, but soon left and officers were sent after him. He stayed all night at ' Medaryville and then left with his brother-in-law, with a team and was thought to have gone towards Monon and Constable Vick went over to head him off there, but he did not come there.