The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1868-01-29
THE BENNENGHOFF ROBBERY.
A Daring Set of Robbers --$2E0,-
600 Carried OM-FargiCufarE
OF the Robbery.

The particulars of the robbery are thus
related by the Tilusville Herald Of Satur
day:
Shortly after sever o'clock the family,
consisting of Mr.. John Benninghoff, his
wife, niece and two hired men, were sitting
in tie kitchen. when the door was opened
and four men walked in, three of these men
were of medium sizes and the fourth was
tall and heavy, and all OF them were mask
ed with handkerchief cloths or comforters.
On entering the room th, men drew pistols
and presented 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 surpri that but little resistance was Of
fered except by Mr.. BenninghLf, who cried
out Justify on their first appearance. The
first cry that he led had scarcely left his
lips when he was attacked by one or two of
the Others Mr. Benninghoff is now in his
sixty seventh year, but notwithstanding his
advanced age he is still possessed Of con
siderable strength, and he exerted it TO the
utmost. His strength was. however, en-.
treIy inadequeto t. to cope with that Of three
to the floor. The ruiiians then struck him
III INC lace ldluDfu fdTlOuS pHFtS vi
his body, and then half dragged, half car
red him to an adjoining bed room. All
thus time Mr.. B. was by no means idle, but
WIS putting forth his best endeavors to es
cape, and to attract attention from the out
side. After they got Mr.. B. somewhat un-
der their control, they tied his arms and
legs and threw him on the bed and wrap
ped the bed clothes tightly about him.
They then rifed his pockets and took from
one of them his pocket book, containing a
small amount of money and key to one of
the safes. After seeing that the cords
which bound his limbs were fast and cover
ing him more closely with the clothes, they
left him in a powerless condition.
While Mr.. Benninghoff was struggling
| with two of the ruthans, the other two had
ntimidated the two hired men, and they
were soon tied in the chairs in which they
sat at the time when the robbers first made
their appearance, These men offered but
very little or no resistance, and in very
brief space Of time they found themselves
in a helpless condition. During the tracas,
Mrs. Benninghof managed to secure re.
volver, which she handed to nne of the hir>
ed men. but he, through fear or some other
emotion of a like character did not use it,
and Immediately afterward one of the roughs
got possession OF it. Mrs. Benninghof wss
seized, dragged into an adjoining room, and
| bound Mr.. BenniRghcffs niece was taken
to room near the kitchen and fastened to
a lounge.
Alter every person in the house was Sc
curely fastened, aud an attempt had been
made TO open combination lock safe, two
of the party went up stairs to the room in
which an old. fashioned safe was kept, with
out asking any questions, while the other
two stayed below and kept guard over the
| family. The key of the safe on the second
floor had been taken from Mr. Benninghoff S
pocket book, and the Williams succeeded in
opening the sale without difficulty. One
drawer in the safe was overlooked, but all
the rest were thoroughly ransacked. The
safe contained nearly $225, 900, and tie vii.
lians succeeded in taking $2l0,Oa0. OF the
$2l0O00, there were $20,O00 in Govern.
ment bonds and the rest in greenbacks and
national currency. The drawer that wa,
overlooked contained quantity of gold and
silver coin, amounting III all to compare
tive small sum. In the haste Of the search
after plnnder, package containing 81, ,00(
was laid among quantity Of papers neal
the sote and left, and in another part of thu
house o second package, containing nearly
&c, 900 was dropped.
All er ransacking the safe, the whole par,
ty returned to the kitchen, and after ascer
tanning fran q member Of the family thu
| Mr.. Joseph. Bennnghof had gone TO church