| Calhoun Chronicle dated 3/26/1895/Norma Knotts Shaffer
The old man got up to build a fire in the cooking stove, and to his great horror and surprise he saw perched on the molasses barrel a robber.
On his first visit the old man assaulted the gentleman with a stick of stove wood and struck with all his force.
Owing to his failing eye sight he missed his aim and hit the teakettle, smashing it to pieces.
And then a life and death struggle began, which only lasted a short time. The thief making his escape.
On the morning mentioned, the old man again went to build a fire, and came rushing out of the kitchen, bolting the door as he came, and aroused the rest of the family, and then there was quite a panic for some time, and the old man ran to Jake Hall's and fell at the door, entirely exhausted.
When he had recovered enough he exclaimed, "Robbers!"
The rest notified the other neighbors
by running and hollering: "Robbers, mad dogs, murderers," and soon the neighbors gathered in with shot guns, rifles, Winchesters, axes, hoes, clubs, knives, and all manner of weapons that could be collected.
Jake Hall was chosen Captain and Dave Welch as Major.
They marched, and orders were given to fire at first sight.
The door was opened and a sharp crack rang out from the guns, and when the smoke cleared away there lay, with his life blood flowing, a big fat possum.
The excitement was over.
- Extracted from the Calhoun Chronicle 3/26/1895 by Norma Knotts Shaffer | 
