The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-03-26
)EETTER OF DR.. vANDENBURGH.

Every body in the city has of course
leard of the attempts of burglars to muir
Ter DR.. Vandenburgh in his own house.
The following letter from DR.. V. to the
EDITORS of the Commercial Advertiser will
,e found interesting:
New YoRK, Monday, March 2, 1910.
Your reporters account of the ''dar-l
ing robbery committed, in my house on
Friday evening last, differed so essential
" in all its relations from the facts as they
occurred, that am induced to lay them
before you as they actually happened, and
if the public should derive any interest or
profitable lesson from the narrative, | shall
be happy in having obliged them.
At about halfpast IL o'clock was
awakened from sleep, in the conviction
that some living movement was in my bed
room, and near my bed. Every muscle
was put at rest, and the eyes and ears on
ly in eager inquiry for the object. The
blood at first rushed so rapidly by my ears
into the brain, that both sight and sound
were deceptive; but as the circulation grew
calm, both senses improved, and finally
saw, as in mist of thick darkness, the
figure of man exactly before my face,
aud within reach of my hand.
My first thoughts were employed in de-
vising means of escape, and resorted to
the stratagem of elevating the bed clothes
on my feet and hands, till could toss
them over his head like net. This done,
l seized my cane and left the room, with
out even closing the door after me, and
made the best Of my way down stairs,
and was much surprised to find my exit
defeated by guard placed inside the front
door, which led to the street. Wishing
to avoid collision with this man, con,in-
ued down the next stairway to the base
ment, and here found another guard post
ed behind this door. Here my means of
escape being entirely cut off, my coward
ice failed me as being no longer available,
and we'll knowing that these men had too
much sagacity to leave me able 10 sound
the alarm on their retreat, the courage that
came was not the courage of brave man,
but courage resulting from desperate cir
cums,ances, and poised my weapon with
deadly aim at the only object tina, prevent
ed my escape.
The weapon is a single spear Of steel
about five inches long. set in the foot of a
cane, and when in common use is cover
ed by silver ferrule screwed over it. II
looked so exactly like cane that the man
was impaled on its point before he was
aware of its character, and yet he fought
with such desperation, pnioned as hewas.
that | felt my fears returning upon me
but he grew weaker, and my courage re-
newed. About this time man came down
the stairs behind, and throwing his light
transiently upon us, discovered our posi-
ton, and closed it again. l changed my
position and placed my back against the
wall, to defend myself from my new as
sailant. He approached us in the dark,
and when passing sent blow at ram
dom that felled him in the corner of the
hall near his companion still standing.
| availed myself Of the opportunity to
retreat into my Office adjoining the hall,
with the hope ofescaping through the win
dow on to the side walk. | had scarcely
crossed the Threshold of the door when
received blow behind the ear and on the
neck that staggered me about twelve feet
into large office-chair, which fell over,
and | with it. By the time l regained my
feet, felt the grasp of hand on my
shoulder; we closed, and got what wrest-
lers called the under-hold, but it avaled
me little; was thrown with great force
upon the floor, land my antagonist on top of
me. | kept my arms clasped firmly
around him, and pressed him closely to
my chest and face, that mi ght prevent
him from striking or using his knife, if he
had one. In a moment he said Il am
Stabbed and the warm blood poured so
profusely into my face, that turned aside
my mouth and nose to free my breathing.
He grew weak at once, and ! turned
him off from me, and half rising, with one
knee on the floor, received blow on
the pit of the stomach that deprived me of
all further apprehension and conscious.
ness, and when / awoke found myself
solus, and in a cold perspiration, with no
other suffering but sickness and vomiting.
Vomiting seemed to restore my circula-
ton, and became warm, and in short
time was able to get in the I'd story, and
ring for the servants, who slept five sto.
ries above the atfray. They furnished me
with warm water and dry night clothes,
and went to bed less exhausted than agi-
tated, and slept but little. When day
light shone in the hall, from the front door
to the office door. distance of Is feet,
was covered with blood, and in many pla-
ces so thick and clotted as to cover the
floor cloth. The Office chairs were over.
thrown, papers scattered about and bespat-
tered with blood. About 20 square feet
of the carpet was red and about seven
square feet was soaked in blood. Out on
the steps to the side walk it was traced in
streams, and on the opposite Green street
corner it was renewed, and from there, in
the centre of Greene street, it was traced
to Fourth street, and again in Greene, near
Houston, the position OF man sitting
was marked in blood.
| have received no very serious in
jury. The stab in the arm has wounded
but slightly the tendon of the biceps
muscle, and as a precautionary measure,
i hon I. =. 4. - : :