Deseret Evening News

McKINLEY'S TOMB GUARD ATTACKED

One Man Engaged His Attention While the Other Struck Him.

FIRED UPON THE PROWLER.

Capt. Biddle Thinks it Was Intended to Blow Up Vault Containing President's Body.

Canton, O., Sept. 30.—Private De Prend, who was doing guard duty beside the vault in which the body of President McKinley rests, was mysteriously attacked last night by two men. Capt. Biddle, in command of the company of regulars, thinks an attempt was made to blow the vault to pieces as one of the men carried a white package. While one of the strangers engaged the attention of the sentinel, the other struck him over the head and also attempted to stab him.

It was nearly 8 o'clock when Guard De Prend saw a prowler in the rear of the vault behind a tree and in a shadow. Upon being challenged by the soldier the man remained motionless behind a tree. He was then about forty feet from the soldier. De Prend advanced, made a second challenge and brought his gun ready to fire. The man in the meantime had dodged away to a second tree about ten feet distant from the first. The soldier renewed his challenge and fired, but as he did so a hard blow was given the gun and his aim missed. A second man had stealthily come up to the soldier and dealt the blow. At the same time man number two struck the soldier with a heavy instrument in the back and attempted to stab him. A gash L shaped and about two inches long each way was cut through the clothing, including the overcoat and a small scratch was made on De Prend's body. The blow was so hard that De Prend was knocked down a small hill and was unable to regain his feet before the men disappeared in the darkness. Lieut. Ashbridge, who was officer of the day, as soon as he heard the challenge and shot, rushed to the assistance of the guard. He was followed by other soldiers.

The sentinel attacked, however, was in the rear of the vault, on a hill, and before the relief force could climb the hill the men had escaped. A hunt was made for the prowlers, but no trace could be found of them. The vault is but a short distance from the west edge of the cemetery and the men evidently escaped from there into the fields and woods near by.

The man who dodged about the trees, De Prend says, carried a shining weapon in one hand and a package done up in white in the other. He says he could recognize the man if ever seen again. The man who attacked him was masked.

That Capt. Biddle believes an attempt was made to blow the vault to pieces is shown by the fact that he put on an extra guard around the vault and in various portions of the cemetery the balance of the night. All the men of the company, seventy-five in number, were ordered to be ready to turn out on the first alarm sounded.