Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-10-30

head and an attempt was made "a
smother her, but she struggled and
! fought like an enraged tiger, and was
not conquered until they had dragged
her from her bed by tile hair of her head
choked her to silence, and handcuffed
her hands behind her. In the mean
time the two boys, Fred, aged twelve,
and his brother, aged six, would not be
| quiet, and one of the men took one under
each arm and hustled them into a closet,
and the girl in after them. The closet
door was then fastened with screws, and
several holes bored through it to admit
the air. The work of disposing of the
other inmates of the house was rapidly
accomplished by other members of the
gang Mrs. Sawyer was handcuffed,
and with her infant child and Oldest
daughter, Bertha, placed in the closet of
her sleepingroom, the desperadoes first
placing chairs for them to sit in. The
door was fastened with screws, as in the
first instance, and six holes bored to adj
init the air One of the ruffians ex.
pressed concern lest there was not
enough air for them, so two additional
holes were bored.
Two men were detailed to watch the
inmates of the house, and the others
(Mr. Sawyer thinks there were twelve in
alD conducted Mr.. Sawyer to the bank.
The two men that stayed behind mad9
themselves perfectly at home. They
sauntered about the house, and talked
pleasantly with Mrs. Sawyer, advising her
tokeep quiet. They hurried Mr.. Sawyer to
the bank as soon as possible, crossing the
suspension bridge and passing through
yards and cross-lots, and demanded to
know where the keys we're. He told them
he had not got the vault keys, and when
he refused to tell where they were the
"twister" was given an extra turn, and
he was made insensible. At the bank
Mr.. Sawyer was again asked where the
keys were. One of the men said Curse
you, you have lied to us twice. We amt
going to lose our summers work Now
own up" The twister made him insensi-
BILE, but upon reviving he concluded that
his safety depended upon answering their
questions, and so he told them they
would find them in his Postofflce box.
He was placed in chair and guarded
while two of the men went to the Post
office, broke a light of glass, thrust a
hand through, turned the catch, hoisted
the window and jumped in. After this
they unbolted and opened the front door,
obtained the keys and returned to the
bank. Mr.. Sawyer opened the vault,
when thny prose cd 20 a ~ OAoIiiIrO IT'S con-
tents One of them asked, previously,
if there was 100000 in il, and seemed
quite disappointed to learn. that the
amount they would probably make out of
the job was so small
AS near as can be ascertained without
the statement of all the sufferers the
total loss is about 100000.
The robbers (having given Mr.. Sawyer
in charge of two companions whose duty
it was to take him home, which they did
as lively as circumstances would permit
coolly locked the outside door of the
bank building and separated. On the
tramp home MIR. Sawyer noticed awatch-
man at one of the mills, and the ruffians
fearing some difficulty gave the twister a
turn that rendered him again insensible.
He was hurried forward, however, and at
his house conducted to one of the bed
rooms, placed in chair, his legs bound
to the rounds, the chair fastened to the
bedstead-post and the bed fastened to
the floor by cords made of strips oil
sheets and tied through the eye of stage
screws, which were screwed into the
/ floor for that purpose. This was to pre-
vent Mr. Sawyer from reaching the win
| dow to give an alarm. The adventures
| theL thanked him for the services he had
rendered them and hastily departed
Mr.. Sawyer thinks the whole programme
was carried out in forty minutes, and that
it was after three o'clock when the jol
was ended.
During all this time the prisoners had
done more or less screaming. Mrs. Saw
yer had exerted herself beyond her natu
raj strength to regain her liberty, had
marked and thumped the door with " hel
bracelets" and endeavorcd to release her
self. Bertha, imprisoned with her, wa:
very cool. The boys and the servant
| girl were demOnstrative, using theil
voices in loud cries for liberty. Master
| Fred finally succeeded in dislodging the
casing of his coop and getting out
whereupon he cut the cords that bounC
his father, and with great effort took ou
the screws that secured the door to the
closet in which his mother was captive
An alarm was quickly given. The.con
dition of the family at seven o'clock this
morning when the blacksmiths had sue
ceeded in libsrating them from thei
handouts was not 50 excitable as nigh
have been expected. Mrs. Sawyer, who
has bad mark upon her throat, where
one of the ruffians choked her, was lit
tie nervous. She displayed great cool
ness, however, and entertained all com
i ers. Mr.. Sawyer was suffering from ex
citement and nervous prostration. TIL,
children were laughing and relating thei
adventures TO admiring friends ant
seemed as happy as though nothing un
usual had happened.
l