The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-06-18
A FIGHT WITH A BURGLAR.
A Midnight Struggle in Pennsylvania
Farm House.

family eight miles from Milton. Pa. On
Saturday night, May 80, he awoke in tn,
middle OF the night and saw burglar il
his room. He jumped from bed and cras
ped him by the throat and whiskers. The
whiskers, long pair, were false, and came
OFT IN the farmers hand, The burglar
struck MIR. Bond in the face, but he die
not release his hold His wife responded
to his call for help. The burglar unable tc
release himself, started for the head of the
stairs, dragging the farmer with him. Mrs
Bond seized the burglar by one leo. He
knock ked her down. She jumped up and
seized him again, while her husband show.
cred blows on his face Reaching the head
of the stairs both the farmer and the burg.
lar rolled to the bottom The noise made
by the struggling men aroused son Of
Mr.. Bonds who joined his father and
mother III the attack on the burglar. AT
this juncture the burglar drew pistol and
would have shot the farmer dead, had not
Mrs. Bond, seeing the movement. pushed
the pistol to one side The ball took effect
in the groin of her son.
The burglar fired again, hitting Mr.
Bond in the right arm, near the elbow.
The farmers wife seized hold of the pistol.
while her son ran out and got a club.
The weapon was discharged twice while
Mrs Bond held the barrel, but doing no
damage, Young Bond returned with a
club, and broke the burglars right arm
with a blow. The pistol dropped to the
floor. Mrs. Bond picked it up with the
intention of shooting the burglar, but be-
fore she could use it her son had knocked
him senseless to the floor with two heavy
blows on the head.
All of the Bonds were badly injured
The farmer was terribly beaten about the
head and face. The pistoLball had made
an ugl ly flesh wound in his arm, and his
body was bruised by the fall down stairs
Mrs. Bond had long, deep cut over her
left eye, where the burglar had struck her
Her sons wounds were confined to the pis-
tol shot in the groin, The ball entered
near the hip joint, and was imbedded in the
flesh. They were all covered with blood, as
were the walls and floor in the hall.
Mrs. Bond attended temporarily to the
wants Of her husband and son. She then
bound the senseless burglar so he could not
escape if he came to. Mounting a horse,
she started as fast as it could carry her for
Milton. Arriving there she aroused DIR.
Billings and Constable Watts, and started
both for her house, In an hour and
quarter after leaving home she arrived back
there, and was soon followed by the doctor
and the constable. Mr. Bond and his sen
were found to be suffering severely from
their wounds, but their injuries were pro-
nounced not dangerous. The ball was ex-
tracted from young Bonds wound with lit
tie difficulty.
The burglar was found dangerously in
jured. The fall down stairs had broken
three of his ribs The blows from the
club, besides breaking his right arm, had
fractured his skull in two places. He was
also badly cut and bruised. The ropes with
which Mrs. Bond had tied him were re-
moved and he was placed on bed. He
suffered intensely. DIR. Billings gave him
every care, and in an hour or two he felt
easier, and gave an account of himself
He was che of a gang of three professional
burglars from Philadelphia. His name is
George Myers His comrades were Jake
Schell and Wilson Fry They travelled
the country disguised as umbrella
members and peddlers. Their plan of opera
ton was to enter town and ''wOrk" 1t
thoroughly They always got information
of places where good hauls could he made.
In Milton they learned that farmer Bond
had received, day or two before the at
tempted burglary, large sum of money,
the proceeds of sale of cattle. They de-
to make effort to obtain it. From
various parties they had received good
idea of the interior of the house, the habits
Of the inmates, &c. Fry unlocked the front
door with a false key Myers was to search
the upper part of the house, while his COM
panions were to take the lower part. When
the noise upstairs warned the latter that |
Myers was discovered, they fed, leaving |
him in the lurch Myers said it was his
intention to kill all three of the Bonds at
the foot of the stairs, and he would have
done so but for the young man knocking
him down with the club On Myers per-
son was found pocketbook belonging to
MIR. Bond, containing $500. This had
oeen taken from his pantaloons before the
burglar was discovered.
DIR. Billings decided that it would be ia
.al to Myers to take him to Jail. The con,
stable concluded to leave a man to guard
md attend to him until he could be removed
A man named Fitch was given charge OF
he wounded burglar. On Monday night |
le was aroused from nap by a knock at |
he door. He opened the door. A man |
standing near said to Fitch that the con-
stable wanted to see him out by the wagon
A wagon stood few feet from the door
Fitch stepped out, and when he reached
he vehicle he was knocked down by some
me standing by the front wheel. When
ne came to consciousness the wagon was
gone lie was gagged and lying on the
ground. Dragging himself into the house
le was astonished to see that the wounded