Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Telephone, October 25, 1912, p. 4. EARL KOONTZ, BEATEN BY TOUGHS, HAS NARROW ESCAPE Earl Koontz, a former resident of this city, a grandson of Mrs. Isaac Eller, West 5th Street, and a nephew of Wylie Koontz the mail carrier, was the victim of an assault at Indianapolis which may result in his death. Koontz, who is only 19 years of age, owns a bicycle repair shop at 445 Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis, was closing his shop shortly before ten o'clock Friday evening. He was locking the door when two men grabbed him and assaulted him unmercifully. He was beaten about the head and face and a deep wound was inflicted in the abdomen. While he was bleeding and unconscious, the two men threw Koontz into the repair room of the shop and left him, probably thinking he was dead or dying. At five o'clock the next morning, young Koontz was able to drag himself into a nearby saloon and ask the barkeeper to give him aid. He was very weak from the loss of blood and was suffering a great deal of pain. The young man was taken to the city hospital and his condition found to be very serious. What motive prompted the assault is not known. Koontz claims he knows no dangerous enemies and reports nothing taken from his pockets. The Indianapolis police and detectives are working on the mystery. It is said the chances are against Koontz's recovery.