Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-01-30
THE BENNINGHOFF ROBBERY.
A Daring set Of Robbers--s2IO.O 600 Car
ried on--Particulars Of the Robbery,


From the Pittsburg cornmerciall
Our Pioneer correspondent tele
graphed the fact on Thursday evening
that the dwelling Of John Benninghoffi
on Benninghof' run, was entered by
robbers that evening, and robbed OF
$4,000. Mr. Benninghoff's house
stands near The road, not frequented
much Of late, either by travel or teams
and the nearest neighbor is a quarter
of mile distant Mr.. Benninghoff i
a Pennsylvania German, plain. hard.
working farmer, and about sixty years
Of age. He has a large family OF
grown up children, many of them
staying at home. The old gentleman.
all of sudden, had riches thrust upon
him by the discovery of oil on his ster-
lie acres, and is one of our petroleum
millionaries. We believe the first well
was struck on his farm on Pioneer
Run, in the fall Of 1865; the produc-
tion Of his whole farm for the last six
months was six hundred barrels day.
and ten new wells are now going down
on it. Mr. BIS income for December
last, was reported at $4,000, but his
sudden and dazzling fortune never
made a fool of him, and they say he
cares nothing for appearances, and
wants 10 live as frugally and work as
diligently as when he used TO eat his
bread in the sweat of his brow. But
he had taken the notion in bis head
to be his own banker, and TO deposit
his bonds and greenbacks in his own
safe and house. The particulars of the
robbery arc thus related by the Titus.
vile Herald Of Saturday:
Shnrfly after seven o'clock the fam
lly, consisting Of Mr.. John Bennlng-
hof, his wife, niece and two hired
men. were sitting in the kitchen, when
the door was opened and four men
walked in. Three of these mon were
Of medium sizes and the fourth was
tall and heavy, and all of them were
masked with handkerchiefs, cloths or
comforters. On entering the room
the men drew pistols and presenting
them at the heads or breasts of the
family, threatened them with imme.
diate death if they should make the
least noise. So completely were the
family taken by surprise that but lit
tie resistance was offered except bv
Mr.. Benninghof, who cried ont Justify
on their first appearance. The first
cry that he raised had scarcely left his
lips when he was attacked by one or
two of the others. Mr.. Bennington
is now in his sixty-sevonth year. but
notwithstanding his advanced age. |
he is still possessed of considerable |
strength, and he exerted it TO the /
utmost. His strength was, however. /
entirely inadequate to cope with that |
Of two or three middle aged men, and /
he was soon thrown TO the floor. The 4
ruflians then struck him in the face
and stamped on various parts of his
body, and then half dragged, half car
ried him to an adjoining bed room.
All this time Mr.. b. was by no means
.dle, but was putting forth his best
endoavors TO escape, and TO attract
attention from the outside. After
hey got Mr.. B. somewhat under their
control, they tied his arms and le,rs
aud throw him on the bed and wrap
1cd the bed clothes tightly about him.
Then they rifed his pockets and took
rom one of them his pocket book,
small amount Of money
md key to one of the safes. After
eeing that the cords which bound his
limbs were fast and covering him more
loosely with the clothes, they left him
n powerless condition.
While Mr.. Benninghoff was strug.
fling with two of the ruflians, the
,ther two had intimidated the two
lircd men, and they were soon tied
n the chairs in which thoy sat at the
ime when the robbers first made their
These men offered but
cry little or no resistance, and in
cry brief space of time they found {
themselves in a helpless condition.
)uriug the fracas, Mrs. Benninghoff
nanaged to secure a revolver. which
he handed to one of the hired men. {
at he, through fear or some other
motion of a like character, did not
Sc it, and Immediately afterward one
{ the roughs got possession of it. I,
lrs. Bennington was seized, dragged
ITO an adjoining room, and bound.
lr. Benninghoff's niece was taken
lto room near the kitchen and fas-
,ned to lounge. d
After every person in the house was
,curely fastened, and an attempt had i
cen made to open combination-locl,
lie, two of the party went up stairs I
, the room in which an od-iashioned
1fe was kept, without asking any 4,
uestions, while the other two STAYED
Glow and kept guard over the family.
he key Of the safe on the second floor
nd been taken from Mr.. Benuinghof's