Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1905 — The Alleged Weapon Discovered [ARTICLE]

The Alleged Weapon Discovered

Sunday morning Zern Wright pioked up from the bottom of a ditoh close tci the sidewalk on Harrison itreet and bnt a short distance east from where Prof. Sanders was attaoked Friday, an article whioh various persons think may have been the weapon witu whioh the attaok was made. It ib far from being that murderous artiole a sand-bag, bnt still is an instrument by whioh most any person could be knooked down and especially if wholly unexpeoting and unprepared for an attaok, The artiole ia the leg part of a child’s long stocking, and near one end, and for about 10 inches of its length packed full of saw-dust, no doubt in a damp oondition. It weighs just a pound, and in the grasp of a strong person could be used to knock another down, very easily.

The faot that Prof. Sanders was not out nor even perceptibly bruised by the blow be received, lends much probability to the theory that this was the weapon nsed. If so the person nsing it most have been aotuated with a desire to greatly annoy and humiliate Mr, Sanders, without wishing to inflict upon him any real injury, nor to commit a robbery. On the other band, however there are others who believe this saw-dnst bßg has been fabricated and placed where it was found, for the express purpose of leading to the belief that it was the instrument used in attacking Mr. Sanders. Mr. Sanders himself however believes it was the weapon ured.