Shooting Affair in Guilford
Chenango Union, August 8, 1895
Wednesday night of last week things were quite lively in the vicinity of the Guilford Hotel, in the pleasant village of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY]. Two young men of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY] Bert Rorapaugh and LeRoy Bowers, went to Guilford that evening, it is said to visit two nurse girls in the employ of Dr. Evans, a Brooklyn physician, who spends his summers at Haynes Hotel. Arriving about 8:30 they put their horse in the hotel barn, paid for the accommodation, and made arrangements for securing their rig without disturbing the inmates of the house should the hotel be closed when they desired to take their departure.
About midnight Landlord Delaney was aroused by one of his servant girls, who told him that someone was trying to get into the house. Upon investigation he found that his Oxford guests were outside, and that Bowers had climbed the veranda for some purpose. Rorapaugh was on the ground. Mr. Delaney ordered them away, threatening them with arrest, when they disappeared. Soon after Mr. Delaney was again aroused, with the information that his unwelcome guests had returned. Dr. Evans now appeared on the scene with a revolver, which he fired in the air to scare the boys, who were now in the barn, hitching their horse. Mr. Swan, a New York boarder, came out with a Colt repeating rifle, with which he fired two more shots to scare the boys. The horse and carriage left the premises on a run, with but one occupant, Bowers not having time to get in before the start was made. The men on the veranda, ordered them to stop and two more shots were fired. A ball struck Rorapaugh in the right shoulder back, about four inches from the top, and striking the bone, took a downward course and came out under the ribs at the side, some five inches below the point of entrance, making an ugly looking wound. There is a bullet hole through the back curtain of the carriage and a dent in the steel bow where it struck. It is thought that the last shot from the rifle was the one that did the work.
Rorapaugh made a quick trip home, not waiting for Bowers. he proceeded at once to the office of Dr. Lee, where he fainted form the loss of blood. Dr. Lee administered restoratives, dressed the wound, and the young man got into his carriage and drove home, where he has since been confined. Bowers returned home on foot.
The Times, from which the above account is condensed, states that the father of the Rorapaugh boy is taking legal proceedings.
"Bert Rorapaugh of this place and another young fellow named Bowers went over to Guilford Wednesday. Late at night they were climbing up the veranda posts at the lower hotel to get into a room, said to have been occupied by young ladies, when the landlord ordered them down. After Rorapaugh had got into the buggy someone, said to be Dr. Evans, fired several shots from a revolver. One hit Rorapaugh in the right shoulder (back) and came out under his arm. He did not wait for his companion but sent the horse at a lively gait to Oxford, and stopped at Dr. Lee's and had the wound dressed. He then went to bed, after putting the horse out, and is still confined there. The wound is probably not dangerous. It is said there is a ball hole in the carriage top. Bowers came home on foot. Dr. Evans is a summer resident at the hotel. these are the facts as they can be ascertained at present. It is understood that the affair will reach the court, as Fred Rorapaugh, the father of the wounded young man, has taken counsel."
The order of arrest was issued by Judge Gladding, and the papers served by Sheriff Payne Wednesday. The defendants were taken to Norwich and before the judge, where they gave bail for appearance at trail in the sum of $1,500 each. Stratton & Stratton, of this village, are retained by Rorapaugh, and J.P. Alids of Norwich, appeared for the defendants.
Several prominent citizens and men of means of Guilford, accompanied the defendants to Norwich and qualified as their bondsmen. The citizens of that place, while deploring the outcome of the affair, stand by their summer boarders to a man. The defendants reside in New York and Brooklyn--Oxford Times.
The cause of action in this case arose on the 31st day of last July, when Bert Rorapaugh and Leroy Bowers, of Oxford, went to Guilford to call on two domestics in the employ of Dr. Evans or Mr. Swan, who were guests at the Haynes Hotel. They were discovered about the premises by the proprietor, who ordered them away, but later when they were seen driving away with the team which they had left in the barn, they were ordered to halt, and not responding, were fired upon, one shot taking effect in Rorapaugh's shoulder and taking a dowqnward course, causing an ugly wound. An action for $10,000 damages was begun and the defendants set up a counter claim of $10,000 for entering the hotel. The case will probably be tried at the term of court to be held here this month.
One night in August last, Rorapaugh with a young companion made a visit to the Haynes hotel in Guilford, where Messrs. Evans and Swan, who hailed from New York, were stopping as summer boarders. The boys in trying to get the attention of a servant girl at a late hour aroused the inmates of the house, the summer boarders among the rest, who mistaking the racket of the boys for that caused by burglars, as they claimed, opened a general fusillade with pistols and a rifle. During the excitement young Rorapaugh got his horse out of the barn and was in the highway on a lively gait headed for home when a rifle bullet crashed through the buggy top and entered his shoulder. He was badly though not dangerously wounded, and drove rapidly to this village where he received medical assistance.
How much money was paid in the settlement is not made public, but we are informed that it was a good round sum, and satisfactory to the party bringing the suit--Oxford Times
Morning Sun, August 3, 1895
What came very near being a serious shooting affray occurred in Guilford Wednesday night at one of the hotels, when Bert Rorapaugh, son of ex-Deputy Sheriff Fred Rorapaugh, of Oxford, received a volley of cold lead from a revolver, shot from a chamber window. An Oxford correspondent writes the Sun yesterday as follows regarding the affair:"Bert Rorapaugh of this place and another young fellow named Bowers went over to Guilford Wednesday. Late at night they were climbing up the veranda posts at the lower hotel to get into a room, said to have been occupied by young ladies, when the landlord ordered them down. After Rorapaugh had got into the buggy someone, said to be Dr. Evans, fired several shots from a revolver. One hit Rorapaugh in the right shoulder (back) and came out under his arm. He did not wait for his companion but sent the horse at a lively gait to Oxford, and stopped at Dr. Lee's and had the wound dressed. He then went to bed, after putting the horse out, and is still confined there. The wound is probably not dangerous. It is said there is a ball hole in the carriage top. Bowers came home on foot. Dr. Evans is a summer resident at the hotel. these are the facts as they can be ascertained at present. It is understood that the affair will reach the court, as Fred Rorapaugh, the father of the wounded young man, has taken counsel."
Chenango Union, August 15, 1895
On Wednesday last Bert Rorapaugh, the young man who was shot through the shoulder in the affair at Guilford, full particulars of which were given in The Times last week, commenced action in the Supreme Court against Dr. G.A. Evans and J.H. Swan, summer residents of Guilford, who are charged with doing the shooting. Damages are laid in the sum of $10,000.The order of arrest was issued by Judge Gladding, and the papers served by Sheriff Payne Wednesday. The defendants were taken to Norwich and before the judge, where they gave bail for appearance at trail in the sum of $1,500 each. Stratton & Stratton, of this village, are retained by Rorapaugh, and J.P. Alids of Norwich, appeared for the defendants.
Several prominent citizens and men of means of Guilford, accompanied the defendants to Norwich and qualified as their bondsmen. The citizens of that place, while deploring the outcome of the affair, stand by their summer boarders to a man. The defendants reside in New York and Brooklyn--Oxford Times.
Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, August 31, 1895
Bert Rorapaugh, the victim of the recent shooting fray at Guilford, has so far recovered as to be able to ride out.
Chenango Union, January 9, 1896
The demurrer entered by H.C. and V. Stratton, in the case of Bert Rorapaugh, of Oxford, against Dr. G.A. Evans and Joseph H. Swan, of Brooklyn, has been sustained by Judge Smith, and the counter claim of the defendants disallowed.The cause of action in this case arose on the 31st day of last July, when Bert Rorapaugh and Leroy Bowers, of Oxford, went to Guilford to call on two domestics in the employ of Dr. Evans or Mr. Swan, who were guests at the Haynes Hotel. They were discovered about the premises by the proprietor, who ordered them away, but later when they were seen driving away with the team which they had left in the barn, they were ordered to halt, and not responding, were fired upon, one shot taking effect in Rorapaugh's shoulder and taking a dowqnward course, causing an ugly wound. An action for $10,000 damages was begun and the defendants set up a counter claim of $10,000 for entering the hotel. The case will probably be tried at the term of court to be held here this month.
Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, May 23, 1896
The suit of Bert Rorapaugh, of this village, commenced in the supreme court against Dr. Geo. A. Evans and Joseph H. Swan, for damages in the sum of $10,000 for shooting him, will not come to trial, the matter having been settled between the parties.One night in August last, Rorapaugh with a young companion made a visit to the Haynes hotel in Guilford, where Messrs. Evans and Swan, who hailed from New York, were stopping as summer boarders. The boys in trying to get the attention of a servant girl at a late hour aroused the inmates of the house, the summer boarders among the rest, who mistaking the racket of the boys for that caused by burglars, as they claimed, opened a general fusillade with pistols and a rifle. During the excitement young Rorapaugh got his horse out of the barn and was in the highway on a lively gait headed for home when a rifle bullet crashed through the buggy top and entered his shoulder. He was badly though not dangerously wounded, and drove rapidly to this village where he received medical assistance.
How much money was paid in the settlement is not made public, but we are informed that it was a good round sum, and satisfactory to the party bringing the suit--Oxford Times
No comments:
Post a Comment