The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-10-18
ROBBERY AS A FINE ART.
How Gentlemaniy and Accomplished
Thieves Stole $4,000.

| A New York letter says: Mr..
Samuel Pope, a member of the
New Jersey Legislature, is six
feet in hight and a giant in
strength. He lives in Broadway,
Patterson. His beautiful residence
is on Broadway Hill, about half q
mile from the nearest house. On
Monday night he and his wife re-
tired early. About IL o'clock Mr..
Pope was awakened by somebody
shaking him gently by the should
er. Rubbing his eyes, he saw five
outlaws surrounding his bedside
with cooked revolvers pointed at
his head. Two others stood by
the window. All were fashionably
dressed, as could be seen by the
| ligA; Of ,i.,. ial2p, and of several
spc.... candles which the gang
held in their hands; but their
features were hidden under masks,
all black, with the exception of
one, which was white. The lead
er, in gentlemanly voice, told Mr..
Pope that he need not be alarmed.
All he had to do was to remain
quiet, while the gang were at work,
and submit to their manipulations,
and he would he unframed, other
wise instant death awaited both
him and his wife. Mr.. Pope sig
nified his willingness to remain
quiet. The robbers then tied Mr..
Pope's hands behind his back, and
also tied his feet with a long piece
of tarred rope. He was then car
ried to closet under the stairway,
and fastened therein. The rob-
bers returned and subjected Mrs.
Pope to similar treatment. Her
hands and feet were securely tied,
which operation was performed
with rigid regard to the delicacy
due q woman en- dishabille. Both
Mr.. and Mrs. Pope could see that
| the hands of the masqueraders
were white and soft. The burg
lars proceeded with the object of
their visit. They stationed two
of their number at the window,
and it was ascertained by their
conversation that there were three
more outside keeping watch.
There were altogether about ten
men. The five inside, who COM
menced to gather up the valuables,
wore women's stockings over their
boots. Procuring the key of the
safe from Mr.. Pope's pocket, they
opened it. Others ransacked
the bureaus and closet. They
scraped together nearly SO, 900 in
money, a good part of which was
in specie, and $4,000 worth of
watches, diamonds, jewelry, silver
ware, ETC., including a nansome set
presented to Mr.. Pope while he
was in the Legislature. From the
safe they extracted $1,000 worth
of railroad bonds and other valu-
able property, including a large
lot of mortgages. Their search
continued for an hour and a half,
during which time Mr.. Pope was
shiyering in the closet, although
the thieves gave him blanket to
keep himself warm, and Mrs. Pope
was shivering with fright in bed.
When ready to leave, the thieves
awoke Mrs. Pope's adopted daugh-
ter, took her down stairs and placed
her in bed with Mrs. Pope. The
thieves handled her gently, and
told her no harm would happen to
her, if she remained quiet. They
told her that she must not unite
Mr.. and Mrs. Pope for some time,
after which they drove off in a car
rage. No trace of the thieves
has been discovered. The only
thing the authorities have to work
upon is the tarred rope and stock
ings which they left behind. 1t
is certain that the thieves are well
acquainted with Mr.. Pope and his
business, and that they don't live
many miles from Patterson. The
family watchdog was poisoned a
few days ago, probably to get him
out of the way of making an alarm
Mr.. Pope, on Monday afternoon
expected to receive cash payment
of $4,000, but was disappointed
and the burglars were disappoint
ed in not finding it in the safe. II
is the most audacious robbery
ever committed in Patterson. Mr.
Pope has stopped the payment Of
the stolen bonds.