Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-05-04

TomplSins joined the governor in the
cry of thieves! thieves! murder
murder!' l was safe though. III.
Running up stairs, 'shelled my.
self q uicker than l ever did before ol
since, and was in bed sound asleep in
half II minute.
Wasn't there row though? new.
er heard so many dogs before--the
mocking bird, of course, was outdoing
all previous eftorts--the chickens began
to crow--Tompkins, next door, was
hallowing thieves! and calling the
governor. could hear screams and ali
sorts of noises and talking among the
neighbors, until at length the old gen.
tleman's voice was heard in the yard
calling Tom Toni
Tom, fortunately, was sound asleep
snoring.
"'Tom! cried the old man in voice
that would have aroused man from ar
epileptic fit. ......- .......
4" judged it prudent to awaken then
and, jumping from my bed, raised the
window, rubbing one eye, and looking
particularly frightened (Which want
and asked: ......'...
"Why, father. what in the worlds
the matter? .. $3.50. .........
"'There's thieves in the house. wa.
tho reply; get, your gun and come
90 He's in the room below you,' hal
lowed Tompkins. Pm certain of it
saw him as he ran down, and threw .
| fire brick at him. l know he didn'
pass the door Mr.. Jones'
! was directed to look out for my
self; the governor stood sentinel at th,
door below, armed with u club, Will,
Tompkins had five minutes to collec
aid from the neighbOrs, and in less thar
half that time, so thoroughly was ever,
house alarmed, there was a dozen OF
more men in the yard, armed with guns
pistols and sticks.
"The governor led the attack; open
| ing the door, he called:
I" Come out of here, you house break
ing scoundrel! If you attempt to re
sist, I'll blow your brains out!'
Nobody came, however.
! Watch the door while l go in,' an,
| was told to look sharp and shoot tin
tary search was sufficient to satisfy ev
erybody that the thief was not in tn
! room.
$50 up stairs they trooped, but l ha,
lit a candle by that time and there wa
no burglar there. The strictest search
even looking under boot, didn't shoy
the faintest trace of him. The yard wa
examined, then the house, and every
body was tolerably well satisfied tina
he had escaped; but l was appointc'
sentinel for the rest of the night, an,
ordered not to go to sleep on my pos
(but did, under penalty of sound fog
ging.
"The articles missing, on q thorough
investigation the next day, were tw
pies and the old lady's silver thimble.-
The thimblc turned up in week or tw
being discovered under the carpet; bu
the pies have not been accounted for ev
ell to this day. On oath | could hav
given very material testimony a. to tn
disposition of the stolen property, bu
the case didn't come before any court
and remained quiet.
Didn't the local editors loom, though
One of them elongated himself through
q half column and headed the articl
! "A Diabolical and Atrocious Attempt a
! Burglary and Murder! describing will
graphic particulars the fiendish attemp
! to throttle Miss L. and her servant
complimentcd the coolness of II. Tomp
kins Esq, and perforated with withei
ing anathema of the want of vigilanc
displayed by the policemen.
I" 1t was fun for me to see with wha
wide awake sagacity the watchman Us
ed to stop at our front door and lister
during his rounds for month after.-
The excitement died away, though, a
| ter a while; but I'll never forget tn
night tried to get in without maxim
a noise"