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EARLY DESPERADOS

An event occurred in 1893 that caused considerable excitement in the town. Mr. E. E. Stone at that time conducted a general store that stood on the site of the present liquor store. He lived in the house adjacent to his store and shortly after midnight was awakened by a loud explosion. Mr. Stone sensed immediately what had happened. Robbers had dynamited the safe in his store. He grabbed a revolver and hurried to the front window. As he raised the window one of the robbers, who acted as lookout, opened fire and just missed killing Mr. Stone by a few inches. This gunfire awakened nearby residents, alarming the robbers who fled down through the lot without stopping to get any money and cut across the Presbyterian Church yard. There were two of them.

Dr. J. H. Mathers, the minister, saw them coming and opened fire with his old squirrel gun, winging one of them. The other was captured a short time later and both men were sent to prison, thus ending an early crime wave in Bellwood.

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