Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-09-18
BURGLARS ON THE RAMPAGE.
Daring Robbery of store at EbeneEe'

Ebenezer, ten miles West of Knoxville on tn'
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia hailroao
was aroused by the perpetration OF most aar
ing robbery, which for GOODNESS and deilperatioi
has rarely been equaled, evincing sang frof
on the part of the thieves themselves, whlcf
proclaimed them
| EXPERTS IN THEIR PROFESSION
Il. A. and w. +. Sterling compose the nrm
Of Sterling s. Bro, at whose store the robbery
was committed The store was closed and the
proprietors had gone home to supper, when Two
men came TO the house and called for 'the store
keeper. .nwhereupon Mr.. Il. A. Sterling came Out
and ACCOMPANIED them to the store. They hrst
called for chewing tobacco, which was furnished
! and paid for, when they next wished to look al
some boots, which they examined and also
shoes. They were at length suited in size but
parlcyed somewhat about the price.
GAINING TINE.
They then talked of their travels through East
Tennessee, remarking that they had often heard
of it as hard place and that their experience
led them to believe it. They said they had been
travelling for some time and found 1T difficult to
obtain lodgings, They represented themselves
as from Georgia and stated that they were moul-
ders and had worked at Rockwood-they were
going on to Knoxville and they could not OBJ
tain employment would 60 thence to Virginia.
After further conversation they asked Mr.. Ster-
ling if he could accomodate them with lodgings
for the night In the meantime w. +. Sterling
had come in, and the strangers were told if they
could put up with their accommodations they
might remain and were invited to the house.
Mr.. r. A. Sterling then'started from around
the counter towards the door, when one OF the
scoundrels remarked, Business Is business
YOUR MONEY Or YOUR LIFE !"
| At this Mr. r. A. Sterling turned around fa-
cling the villains, and was confronted with a
navy pistol leveled at his breast, and perceived
that one of the men had two pistols leveled at
his brother. The robbers proved to be armed
with four large navy pistols and a small one
which they carried in their pockets.
COMMENCED SEARCH.
One of them then lit a candle while the other
guarded the victim, and they proceeded to sat-
isfy themselves that the Sterlings were unarm-
ed. Upon ascertaining that they were not, one
of them went to the drawer of desk where the
cash was kept and emptied it of its contents, OBJ
tanning about 65 or 20 dollars in money. They
took pair of boots each, avest, several pairs OF
socks and brass watch-stem- m-winder-wlth a
glass case over the works.
FRESH VICTIM, sa
made his appearance about this time IN the per-
son of our fellow townsman John +. Price, who
is building a house on his farm near Ebenezer.
He went to the store thinking to purchase some
bacon. Arriving there, he saw the door was
shut and turned to go away, but hearing con-
The door was partially opened by one of the
men, who when he saw Mr.. Price, presented a
cooked pistol at him. Mr.. P. pushed the door
open, not realizing the situation, and stepped
one foot in when he was told to stop and con
slider himself in arrest" Still he though some
one was practing hoax on him and continued
to advance until passing the robbers he came in
view of the Sterlings, who were standing with
folded hands and cOuntenances that revealed
the true state of affairs. Mr.. Price then, with
wo nayies at his breast,
ACCEPTED THE SITUATION,
And wheeled into line with the other two vic
TINS He was then asked if he was armed, and
answered in the negative. The next question
was "have you any moneyY' to which he re-
piled in the affirmative and was Informed that
they wanted it. One of them started to run his
hand into his pockets, but Mr.. z. saved him of
the trouble. and yielding to their polite de.
mands, handed out his pocket book, containing
S34. They took the money and Mr.. L. kept the
pocket-boOk. They then asked him how he
happened to stop in there, when he Informed
remarked, 1T is very unfortunate for you that
you stopped, my friend.
TAKING LEAVE. III lH..
Then then stepped backwards towards the
door, still holding on to their pistols, and point
ing the muzzles at their victims They stood
still for several moments, no one speaking,
when one of them who seemed to be the leader,
house under four hours you do so at your peril.
We have accompliceS who attend to that part of
the business" They then took the key to the
door and going out locked it on the outside,
leaving the two Sterlings and Mr.. Price in
side, to mediate on the charactar of their late
acquaintance, and help themselves as best they
might
They however, did not remain inside four
hours as directed, but got out as soon as posi-
BILE, but too late to obtain any trace as to which
way their nocturnal visitors had Travelled.
HEARD FROM. .ttg.. ...... p.
| About Il o clock on Monday night two men
called at the home of Mr.. Parsons, about three
! or four mile from Ebenezer, and asked for some
water. 1t is supposed they were the same men
who committed the dearing robbery.
One of them is represented as being large,
coarse. dark skinned man. with black beard very
thin on his face, black hair about feet 10
inches high and probably about 80 or 35 years OF
The other isrepresented as being a small man'
weighing, perhaps, $50 pounds, fair complex
ion, sandy hair, smooth face and upper front
teeth somewhat decayed.
| This is the most daring robbery that we have
| heard of in this country for a quarter of a CEN
tury and the cool, deliberate manner in which
1t was done shows that the villains are ''up to
Their trade and have practiced it before.
| O'A'iOS NSIS III pursuit. OI Iuetu yeSterudJ duu
we would take pleasure in announcing their
capture and punishment. We have obtained
theSe details from the gentlemen who were
We also learn from other sources that thew
gave Mr.; Price one dollar to pay his fare to
Knoxville On the railroad, and also returned tc
the Sterllngs few dollars in silver which tbey
had probably had on hand for some time. and
remarked that they scorned to do mean, dis
honorable trick. s-rr -~~s~9 - :,
i ANOTHER ROBBERY vs
The Chattanooga Herald of yesterday. con
tanned an account of the robbery of the story O
Mr. Aired, in the 17th civil district of Haml
ton county, a few nights ago, under similar cir
cumstances, which together with the descrip
ton of the two men lead us to believe they ar
same parties. They came to the store late a
night and arousing Mr.. A, called for some
thing to eat He let them in provided coll
lunch for them, and while they were eating
leaned over with his elbows on the counter
when one of the rufians drew a pistol and toll
him if he uttered sound they would put bul
= IL II ILL., 4l,n