Left An Ear Behind

"LEFT AN EAR BEHIND"--an eye-catching headline for an article in the Atlanta Constitution, December 20, 1887:

Charleston, S.C., December 19. A Greenville special to the News and Courier says tht a daring attempt at robbery was made in Laurens county last week. John Dagnoll, a farmer, had $500 hidden in his house and happened to mention the fact to his brother-in-law. Dagnoll left home one day expecting to be absent over night, but for some reason returned the same afternoon. During the night he awoke and found three men in his room. He seized a large bowie knife and cut off the ear of one of the robbers and stabbed him in the cheek. The others escaped. The wounded man proved to be Dagnoll's brother-in-law, and he is now in Laurens jail.