Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-02-07
a MIDNIGHT ATTACH on A FARM
HOUSE.

From the Norfolk VA Day Book, Feb ~
About midslght on Tuesday last. the resi-
denee OF Mr. Ransom Brock, on Linckho-s
bay, an Princess Anne county. was attacked nv
n gang OF desperadoes. himself and family
driven therefrom, ana the premises ransacked
ana robhed of everything like money and VAL
uable- that could r. found
The first intimauOn that Mr. Brock had of
the presence OF the thieves was given by saye-
raj pistol shots, the balls from which pas,sSI
through the 1ront door. and entered the hor.p.
this vas followed by attack OF the door w IN
axes, OE some other heavy Instruments, and the
'front.' door WAS broKen in: the robbers then
entered the front room and fired several haIIs
through the door into his chamber. which " ~
on the ZANE nOorl In the meantime NJ
Brock, who had been akened by the fist
attack, aroused his wife and grand child, who
slept IN his chamber. and cropping about IN TIA,
dark, AT the risk OF being shot, he secured has
gun. and opening door leading into thu
room then occupied by the robbers fired IL at
random, in tie darkness. with what effect he
dors not know: he tlNn secured has pistol hut
To his disrnay found AZ would Eoi operate Du--
ing all this time the robbers were yelling and
shooting ana doing all they could 20 friChten
Mr.. Brock and family, and that gentleman
finding himself unable 10 cope with the dasp-r-
ADDE'S, called the remainder of the family, who
were up stairs. ana told them 10 save their live.
by leaN ing the house a. soon possible. Willis
they Were escaping nj the rear of the building
the robbers continued th.-ir wells and threats 4,
Kill all IA the house. FINALLY all the family
escaped from the housr. and Mr.. Brock. who
was tb" only man an the house. Joined them.
and an their night clothes, shIverIng an the cold
midnight wind. the whole family sought safety
m the woods.
Having cleared the house Of all "a inmates.
the robbers proceeded 10 Or ak open the draw
Is, trunk, etc, and made systematic search
in sN"ry room. While doing thIs. they posted
s"ntlDelr outside. To prevent interruption. and
for tNO long, cold hour that shivrring family
were KEEP out IN the woods, while the house.
Wa ranHack.d from top 10 bottom. When Mr.
Bro and family returned, they found that the
robbers had carried of forty-fiye dollars in
-I'-7uiaCk d. and fifteen dollars ia silver The
Ir"r- We're streSed with clothing, papers and
various other ARTICLES; the furniture WAS bro
ken. trunks smashed aud every place where AZ
WAS supposed money could be- found, bore
marks OF determined violence.
An inspection ~ the premises dPNelcped the
fact thai all the doors that offered resistance by
being fastened, had been broken, while the
walls and doors showed the marks OF aboy.
twenty balls that had been fired into them by
the robbers. Eleven dollars of the stolen money
belonged TO an old woman. who lived with the
family IN The capacity of n ssrN ant and was
the saN Ings Of years, which she had boarded up
10 pay her funeral expenses. IL - the iinprs--
sion of Mr.. Brock that the attack and robbery
Were planned and conducted by white mem
At all events, IL is one of the daring and outra-
geous robb.ries ON record in that or any other
county I'm thIs State, and l. one of the many
evidences of the demoralized and disiointed
state OF society.