Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-04-02

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the assistance fhis comrade, mistook him
/ in the dark for the DR.. and stabbed him
in the neck, making him bleed proiuseiy.
In the melee the DR.. received blow IN
the stomach, which rendered him insensI.
Bile for about 30 minutes, during which
time the robbers made of, carrying with
them about 90 dollars, but leaving the
+. Dr's. watch on the floor, in large pud-
die of blood.
| DIR. yANDENBURGH'S STATEMENT.
| To the Editors Of The Commercial ddosrttser:
| NEw YORK, Monday, March End, 1910. :
Your reporters account ofthe daring
robbery" committed in my house on FRI
day evening last differed so essentially
| in all its relations from the facts, as they
occurred, that am induced 10 lay them
before you as they actually happened, and
liz the public should derive any interest or
profitable lesson from the narration, shall
be happy in having obliged them.
At about half past II o'clock | was a.
Weakened from sleep, in the conviction that
some living movement was VI 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 atfirst 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 a mist ofthick darkness,
the figure of man exactly before my
face, and within reach Of my hand.
Ny first thoughts were employed IN de-
visng means of escape, and | resorted 10
the stratagem of elevating the bed clothes
on my feet and hands, till | could toss
them over his head like net. This done,
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 10 the street. Wishing
to avoid collision with this man, coniin-
ued down the next stairway to the base
ment, and here | found another guard
posted behind this door. Here my means
of escape being entirely cut of, my cow
ardce failed me as being no longer avail
liable, and well knowing that these men
had too much sagacity to leave me able
to sound the alarm on their retreat, the
courage that came was not the courage
of a brave man, bat courage resulting
from desperate circumstances, ana pol
sed my weapon with deadly aim at the
only object that prevented my escape.
The weapon is a single spear OF steel,
about five inches long, set in the foot oil
cane, and when in common use is covered
by a single ferrule screwed over II. 1t
looked so exactly like cane that the man
was impaled on its point before he was a.
ware of its character, and yet he fought
with such desperation, plnloned as he was,
that felt my fears returning upon me /;
but he grew weaker, and my courage re-
newed. About this time man came
down stairs behind, and throwing his light
transenily upon us discovered our posi-.
ton and closed 1t again. | changed my
position and placed myself for my new
assalant. He approached us in the dark,
and when passing sent blow at ran
dom that felled him in the corner Of the
hall next his companion still standing.
| availed myself Of the opportunity TO re-
treat into my Office adjoining the hall, with
the hope of escaping through the window
on the side walk. had scarcely eros
sed the Threshold OF the door when | re-
ceived a 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 ! regal.
ned my feet, felt grasp of hand on
my shoulder; we closed, and got what
wrestIers call the under-hold, but it avail
led me little | was thrown with great
force upon the floor, and my antagonist
on top Of me. kept my arms clasped
firmly around him, and pressed him close
ly TO my chest and face, that might pre-
vent him from striking or using his knife,
if he had one. la moment he said j
am stabbed" and the warm blood poured
so profuscIy into my face that turned
aside my mouth and nose 10 free my brea-
thing.
He grew weak at once, and turned
him off from me, and hall'rising, with one
knee on the floor, received blow on
the oil Of the stomach that deprived me Of
all further apprehension and consc Gus
ness ana when awoke found mysell so.
lus. End in cold perspratlon, with no SUI
feriog but sickness and vomiting. Vom-
i,ino seemed to restore my circulation.
/ - L.oaroa warm and in a short time