The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-13
Astounding burglary fn New YORK.
Tse ssntlaws Holding n Husband ono
wife Down I'm their Bed, ana a fhts"
mausac;sipa their HOUSE al Midnight.

Wife Down TN fkaGEr BCh, ahu ~ 1H'A"
manxacaipz their Mouse AT Midnight.
The following curious story appears IN the
New York papers Of Tuesd2y:
Mfr, James Gardiner is \ gentleman OF great
weoIth, who retired from business Il few years
ago. His family consists OF vile, one sHali
daughter, and servant g,f'. ihey iifc IN
.he house 224 west FiftIe,h street, between
Eighth avenue and Broadway. The bedroom
Of MIR. and Mrs. Gardiner Is on the second
floor. and the windows open on Fifticth
street. The little girl sleeps 10 an adjoining
room, whose door communicates with the
chamber Of the parents, and the servants
room is up stairs. The hohsc is built with 81
basement,
Last Wednesday morning at . o'clock q
noise in her room startled Mrs. Gardiner
from her sleep. She raised herself IN the
bed, and, although the gas was not burning
she saw in the dim light three men entering
the door. She screamed aud pulled her hus-
hands arm. This awokc Mr.. Gardiner nc
Raw the men, who were all disguised III
black masks, and tried to jump from the tcd.
The scream of Mrs. Gardiner and the
movement of her husband alarmed the IN
trudcrs. Two Of them Sprang upon the bed.
One of them graSpcd Dir. Gardiner ny the
throat and, placing his knee on his chest,
held him tightly pinioned. The other seized
Mrs, Gardiner, and brandiShcd large knife
over her head, threatening Instant death il
she persisted in her screaming. She strug-
gled nob!y, however, in spite OF the scoun'
dreFs threats. and made as much noise as
possible, gagged as she was. AZ one time
Che point OF the knife touched her CIR, aud
the wound still remains.
Meanwhile the third man WAS rum
magiug the room in all directions in search
of money and raluables. Dir. Gardiner
owns several houses, and as it was near the
first of the month the robbers supposed that
he had collected his rents and had the money
in the house. They demanded of their two
victims where the money was 10 he found.
but despite their threats Mr.. and Mrs. Gardi-
ner refused to give them any information.
The noise made by The lady aroused her
little daughter. She ran iuto the room. and.
seeing the condition of things, BEGAN t"
scream. She ran up to the man who WAS
now searching the drawers OF the bureau,
and throwing her arms about his legs begged
that he would save her "pa and ma
The mau laughed brutaily, and told her to
keep quiet and they would not hurt any.
body. Then, Is She was uuivcring with
cold, the wretch who was hunting for plum
der took her in his arms and threw her on
the bed. She crept trcmbling!y in and lay
covering between her pinioncd parents and
the men in The black masks.
All this time Mrs Gardiner, who is 4 he
roine, was' struggling with her iaior. The
cleaning knife above her head did not
frighten her into submission, us the rutiian
had thought it would. She fought valian;ly,
aud although she could not free herself she
tore the mask from Ter captCr's face This
mask "a plain black onc) she still retains,
hoping that it nlay prove some clue by which
to trace The burglars. Dir. Gardiner WAS SO
closely pressed down Ivy the knee Of the
ruflan that he was rendered absolutely help
less.
At length the man who was searching the
bureau found 500 in one OF the drawers.
This was secured, as also two gold watches,
and pearl ring which was drawn from Mrs.
GARDENERS finger. With this booty tie
thieves prepared TO depart, and after warning
were released. The maid servant at this
juncture appeared at the door. She 81, $ that
on hearing the noise she opened the window
and gave the alarm, but Captain Killca says
that this is not true. The burglars lighted
piece of paper and went down the stairs, de-
parting through the basement window. At
dnybreak an examination showed that they
had forced IN entrance b. prying open the
shutters Of this window.
News Of this burglary was sent at once to
the Forty.Sevcnth.strect polcC-station, and
Captain hililea hurried round to the house.
Mr. Gardiner gave him the best description
of the men that he could, aud by 10 O'Clock
the Captain bad arrested four men on s,lspi-
cion. They were taken before Mr. Gardiner,
but he said he did not identify them. The
Captain was therefore reluctantly forced to
release them. In conversation with Il Sul.
reporter last night he said:
81 am morally certain that one of the men.
at least, was concerned i'll the robbery. H.
was III saloon that night just before IT,
burglary, and did not have money enough ;"
pay for drink. Within IN hour after Mr.
Gardeners house was entered he was in the
same saloon and had $G0 In IS notes. All the
money taken from Mr.. Gardeners was of that
denomination. The next day he bought 4
new suit OF clothes. am sure | had the
man, but Mr.. Gardiner refused to idcntil,
hun, and had 10 let him 20. ] have no fur
Tier clue to the crimeo