Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-10-04
A Heroic Woman.


a short time since, there occurred
in the city of Buffalo an attempt at
burglary, which for some reason, was
not recorded by the generally enter
prlslng journals of that city. The
circumstances connected with the
singular affair were, as we have learn
ed them Says the Rochester Demo
crdt,) as follows:
A gentleman in that city, engaged
in an extensive trade, often drew a
considerable sum from the bank upon
those days when he intended to start
early the next morning for a neigh
boring city on business. His wife re-
monstrated with him on this practice,
as it of necessity left the sums drawn
in his residence over night, which
would prove very strong temptation
to burglary, should any person evilly
/ inclined know of the circumstance.
But the merchant persisted in the
habit, as men often do against the
prudent counsels of their better, and,
We may add, wiser halves. On the
day preceding the night when the
singular event occurred, the gentle
man in question drew, as before, sew
eral thousand dollars, and went home
with it, purposing to leave on the
early morning tram. Toward night
fall, from some cause, he changed his
mind and in the dusk of the evening
departedfOr the cars, of course taking
the money with him Women are
pIoverbially light sleepers. and some
time during the night the lady awoke,
imagining she heard a slight rattle OF
the blinds. Listening, she detected
further, first one blind and then the
other softly opened. Rising noise
lessly from her couch, she stole thrO'
the room, and in,the Woodhouse found
an ak, with which she silently but
rapidly returned. The room was on
the ground floor, and next to the
street. 1t was perfectly dark inside
the apartment, except where the light
from a glimmering street lamp at
some distance shone through one of
the lower corners of the window.
By the time the lady reached the win
dow, which she did so silently that
the person outside was not alarmed at |
his operations, she found that the sash
was being raised slowly from beneath. |
The brave woman, ak in hand, waited /
breathlessly for the next move of the |
housebreaker. After having lifted |
the sash few inches, which he effect |
ed easily from the outside, as the 4
catch had carelessly been left unfast-
ened, the person, whoever he was,
stopped, and soon the woman, who |
was watching every movement, saw
a mans hand slowly and carefully in
serted beneath the sash. The axe was
raised in her hands, and bring
ing the blade down with a sudden
and accurate movement, she chopped
OFF all the four fingers Of the burglars
right hand. She heard a suppressed
oath followed by the sound of retreat
ing footsteps, and all was still.
The brave lady wrapped the bloody
fingers in cloth, and on her hus-
bands return gave them to him, at
the same time telling what had occur
red. The merchant, instead Of in
the police, determined to
investigate the affair himself. He
took the fingers to every surgeon in
the city, at the same time inquiring
If they had treated patient who had
lost the four digitals of his right
hand. His search was at last reward
I'd, and the name of the individual
who attempted the burglary dIseov-
cred. 1t was one Of the merchants
one who lived on thesame
Itreet, and only the second house from
him. He carried the matter no fur
her, and the circumstances were
Kept as quiet IS possible. The neigh
)Or had doubtless learned the mer-
'hant's habit Of keeping large sums |
It certain times in his house, had seen
him come home with the money, and
'eing ignorant that the gentleman,
'ontrary to his usual custom, had de-
,arted in the evening, planned the
obbery. The bravery and coolness
f the LADY were such as would not
ften be found under similar cireum-
tanees.