The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-01-15
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
DARING BURGLARY AND WARM RECEP
TION

On Friday morning about three o'clock the dwell
ling house of James Riddle, carpenter the corner
of Tenth and Ogden streets was burgariousy enter
ed by boring through the kitchen window. The
daughter of Mr. r., who slept in the room over the
kitchen, was alarmed, and upon looking out Of the
side window, observed some fellows scaling the fence.
She Immediately, with great caution, proceeded to
the bedroom of her father, and awakened him. Mr..
Riddle, being prepared with musket, already loaded,
carefully made every arrangement for descent upon
the robbery and came down the stairway leading
into the entry. BY this time the villains had got into
the front parlor. As Mr.. II. descelded the stairs,
Of the carpet rods being out of place. was moved
by his foot, which making slight noise, alarmed
them, and they Of decamped, through door
leading into the kitchen from the back parlor, and
through the kitchen door in the yard by which time
Mr.. r. had passed through door leading into the
kitchen from the entry, AND at the door of the kch-
en- getting fair sight Of them just about TO pass out
of the gateway, he fired upon them, and from the
quantity Of blood found in the alley must have nhict-
ed serious if not fatal wound upon one or more
of the rascas. He Immediately reload d his pl ce
and followed after hem up Ogden street iowa rds
Eleventh. and fired al them again. when they were
but short distance In advance of him. There were
four Of them, and they were all in the gateway at
the time he first shot, the piece being charged with
half dozen more of sugs eside shot, no doub, ex-
lists that the discharge must have aiken effect in more
than of them. This opinion is strengthened from
the fact that marks of blood were traced on Friday
morning, IRON the alley way northeast towards Parrish
and Tenth streets and also ards Broad street
and through Broad street, north. About the same
hour in the morning, man driving down Broad
street, three walking up the road the one in
the middle with his head leaning upon his companion,
apparently quite helpless. Surprising that he was
drunk and that his friends were taking him home he
paid but little attention to them, until be subsequent
y discovered handkerchief in the street completely
saturated with blood, when his suspicious were
awakened. BY this time the villains had got out of
sight As far as we can learn, of the bur
glars have yet been had. There was nothing taken
from TIE house, but several things had been laid aside
with the view of carrying them on
The courage exhibited on the occasion by Mr. r.
was most extraordinary and praiscworhy, consider
ing that he was the only male person in the house
himself far advanced in years. and no one to support
or aid him in case of extremities but his ifc
and daughter. They, too uDquestonably behaved
with great sefpossession during the whole time It
was Mr.. RS design when coming down the stair
way, and discovering light reflected from the par
Tor door into the entry, TO have fired upon them in
the parlor, but the noise from the sairrod giving
alarm, disconnected his plan, and he was compelled
TO follow them through the house into the Per-
hsps it was better that the affair turned out as it did
otherwise consequences might have been more seri.
to them, or the event Of failure on his plr to
Mr. X. As il is, the fellows have no doubt received
lesson that they will mol soon forget.