The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-17
A SUBURBAN HORROR.
MIDNIGHT ROBBERY
AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.
FIVE NEGROES THE PERPETRATORS.

u Nearly half mile beyond the city limits,
in thickly-settled suburb, On the Nine
mile road, and Immediately opposite Battery
Five, lives German butcher named Andrew
Schurman. Himself and wife are the only
occupants of the house, except little ne
gro boy, whom they employ as servant.
On Tuesday night, Schurmsn and his
wife, having retired, were aroused at about
| o'clock by noise in the rear of their
dwelling as of persons moving cautiously
about. The old man got up, and taking MS
pistol, opened the door, and without seeing
anything, discharged the weapon, hoping
thereby to frighten off the supposed thieves.
He then closed the door, turned the key, and
was going back to bed, when sudden rush
was made from without towards the door.
A moment after it was bursted open, and
two burly negroes, guns in hand, sprang
into the room and before Schurman could
realize the situation one Of them dealt him
several heavy blows upon the head, bring
ing him senseless to the floor. Three other
negroes then came in, and some rushed to
the bed in the corner Of the room, pulled
it out in the floor, and unmindful of the
screams and prayers Of Mrs. Schurman, beat
her most numerically on the head, breast,
stomach, and lower limbs, with the stock of
gun. Then, doubtless supposing that
both of their victims were dead, they pro-
ceeded leisurely to ransack the. house for
money or anything else worth stealing.
The little negro boy, who, strangely enough,
says they allowed him to be witness of
their movements, says also that, breaking
open the cupboard, they rifled it of lot OF
bread, ate what they wanted, and carried
the rest away. They also took gun and
pistol, but although every corner of the
house was searched, they were only success
ful in getting three dollars in money, which
they found in the pocket Of the pants which
schurman had pulled off before retiring.
The villains then left the house, their vic
tins still lying as if dead.
The situation of Mr.. and Mrs. Schurman
was not discovered until after sunrise, when
O woman who was in the habit of bringing
them milk found it out. She remained with
them and sent for Drs. Waring and Brewer,
who came as soon as possible, and rendered
prompt surgical assistance. They found
two confused wounds on the top of Mr..
Schurman's head, and one on the right side
JUST DenlnQ the ear. I1lS Hlie mao uuSu
more severely injured; and the surgeons
pronounce her condition still critical. Her
skull was severely fractured, causing de-
preston of the bone. The left side of her
head, too, was badly bruised, and marks of
the severe beating which she received were
found all over her body, and the surgeons
expressed fear that she had been injured
internally.
Constable C. W. Robinson, being inform
ed of the circumstances, entered at once
upon an investigation, and, by the exercise
of his usual diligence and enterprise, be-
fore noon had effected the arrest of negro
accused Of being Of the party of mid
night robbers. The accused is Frank Tay-
lor, father of the boy employed by the
Schurmans as o servant. His son, Frank,
Jr., said that some days ago he was telling
his father about the Schurmans playing
cards, when his father asked whether they
had any money; and, being answered at
6rmatively, he said that he would "come
and see about it." The Taylors, being car
ried before Justice, he committed them
both for examination on Monday next.
Meantime, the constable is looking for the
other guilty parties.