The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-01-13 00:00:00

DARING BURGLARY AT THE LYE.

A most impudent burglary and one of tile moat daring
character was perpetrated at the residence of Mr. Tho-
mas Rhodes, of the Providential Works, the Lye, early
on the morning of the tith inst. The works are situated
by the side of the Stourbridge Extension Railway, be-
tween the Lye and Cradley Stations, and Mr. Rhodes's
residence is within a few yards of the line. The family
retired to rest as usual about ten o'clock on Friday night,
after, as was supposed, making all the doors and windows
secure. A little before twelve o'clock Mrs. Rhodes was
awoke by • noise of some one downstairs in the under.
ground kitchen. At first she thought it was the servant
girl. Upon listening, however, she heard footsteps on
the staircase, and several persons were soon at the door
of the bed room. She at once shouted out, "Hello, who
is there?" and immediately the door opened, and some
one said "It is ice that are here; don't you make &noise,
we are come for your money and watches, and will have
them or your life." The room at the time was in total
darkness, the thieves having no light. One of them ad•
vane,' to the bedside, when Mr. Rhodes awoke out of a
deep sleep and felt the touch of a Mall hand on his
face. Mr. Rhode, was in the act of getting out of bed
when he was pushed back by some one who said, "flout
you get out of bed, nor don't you stir ;" and was assured
they didn't want to hurt him or his wife if they would
be quiet, but they wanted their money and watches, and
said they also intended to have something to eat and
drink. Mrs. Rhodes could see the glimpse of at least
two men iii the room, and, remembering that her husband
bad laid his gold watch and chain on the dressing table
under the window, she stepped out of bed and fortunately
secured it. During this time the ollier fellow held Mr.
Rhodes in bed. Whilst holding him down he pushed his
hand under the pillow to feel if there were any firearms.
One of the men then exclaimed, "Now, where is this
money, which we must have, and also the watches ?" The
burglars were told that the cash-Ins was on the chest of
drawers, and they might have it. Upon one of them
tuning it up, he said that it was locked, and then asked
for the key. Mr. Rhodes told them to take the box down-
stairs and smash it up, and sae what was in it. They
reigied that they must have the watches, when Mrs.
Rhodes said that she had given them one, which was a
silver watch, and belonged to one of her sons. The
burglars then left the room, and went downstairs to
smash up the box. Mr. Rhodes then locked the room
ibeir and escaped be the window, lie then ran up to the
bye railway statioli, barefoot and undressed, where he
found the night duty signalman, who went to give infer.
motion to the police, when Mr. Rhodes returned towards
home. The signalman found Police-constables Caley and
Tomlin, and accompanied them to the house, but the
thieves were all gone, having left two or three minutes
before Mr. Rhodes returned. While the two men were
is the bed-room with Mr. Rhodes and his wife, another
man entered the room of the sons and said, " Don't you
make a noise, we don't want to hurt you lads; I have
got brothers and sisters of my own." Other voices were
heard downatairs at the same time, from which it is con-
eluded that there were five or six men. After Mr. Rhodes
had gone for assistance, his wife went to the window for
the purpose of putting down the sash, but before doing
so she looked out and saw some one peeping round the
corner of the house, as if on the watch. Two or three
of the burglars had by this time returned to her room
door, and threatened to burst it open unless she unlocked
it. She did not do 80, and immediately after the man.
on the laok out went to the front door and called out, 1
•• Hook it." The men at the bed-room door immediately
went down stairs and made off. Upon examining the
premises, it was found that an entrance had been ob-
tained by one of the kitchen windows, which had been
unfastened. In the kitchen was found a email satchel
containing a large sum of money, for payment of the
workmen on Saturday. Happily, the bag had not been
observed, and its contents were safe. The scattered re-
mains of the mahogany box, which the thieves had
smashed, lay upon the floor. The box had contained
some £6 or £7 and a gentleman's gold finger ring, which
of course were gone. Near to the front door wee found
the hall of a thick iron poker, also an instrument made
out of an old file into the form of a chisel, which had,
no doubt, been intended to supply the place of • "jem-
my." Linder the kitchen window was found a small
basket, such ea is used by mechanics. It contained an
old brace, three centre bits, recently sharpened, a small
tine-toothed double-edged saw, about 6in. by Ifin., and a
peculiarly made skeleton key. No clue has yet been
obtained as to the thieves.