The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-12
"THE CATSKlLL BANDITS. !"
How a Whole Family Was Bound,
Handcufed and Pillaged.
THE STORY OF EDMUND POST.
CHOW Wen Have Nice Little
Class Meeting"
WHITE PLAINS, Jan. 10, 1874

street thnly lined with detached cottages.
The room was perfectly still. and nought could
be heard but the ticking OF the clock as the pendu
ium made its regular beat to and fro. The room
was in the Court House building at White Plains,
and there were none present but myself and
jaiier VINO seemed somewhat disconnected and
morose, Tor he had been waiting for some hours to
receive a number of prisoners, and his vacuous
mind was worried as he looked out and saw the
rain drops falling IN the gloom OF the night Pitch
dark 1t was, and all around the solemn silence OF
country town.
THE CATsKILL FARMER.
Soon there was break in the monotony that
hung like a blanket on both jaiier and reporter.
small man, with an unsuspicious face and light red
whiskers. walked into the room, his overcOat but
toned closely around him. and looking as II he mad
been in the storm This was Mr.. Edmund Post, or
Catskill. who had been victim OF the MASKED
robbers, and vino was sent up to White Plains by
Matsel. the redoubtabe and president Chief OF
Police or New York. in the hope that he might be
enabled to recognize some one OF the men who
had committed the robbery at Cats1tl, IN his
fathers mouse, on the 18th day Of last October.
Mr.. Post sat down in quiet manner and we
soon got very well acquainted with each other.
"Now," said / to Mr.. Post, 'you should have a
very interesting story to tell about the robbery
which was committed on your family by the men
who are to come here tonight as 1t is supposed.
Suppose while we wait we have little converse
ton to while away the time until those prisoners
come over from New ROchelle"
81 am wng.n said Mr. Post, ''and will tell the
HERALD all know OF what occurred, Tor l never
yet saw a correct account Of that affair. ASK me
all the questions you like and Will answer them"
Mir. Post threw one leg over another and imme-
diately settled down to an Old-fashioned talk.
THE PROLOGUE.
NV name Is Edmund Post. and / live in the
southern end OF the town of Catskill. Greene
county, New York State with my father, mother
and sister. We have farm of 400 acres OF land,
with q frame house for our residence. The house
is good sized one, 4Ox2s eet. My sister is "a
years OF age and unmarried, and we all live very
comfortably together, having colored woman as
house servant and hired man who does our work
and eats his meals in The house, but who lives with
his family IN another part OF the town. -,
''YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE"
At half.past six Of The evening OF the 17th OF
October 1873, We were all sitting at the table
father, mother my sister ana myse Ell supper,
colOred wencn was outside OF the door and the
evening was quite still. The nearest house TO US Is
a quarter OF a mile of. The hired man was at the
gate going home, some so or 80 leet from the door
OF our house. While there man jumped suddenly
up from behind some bushes and said to the hired
mani
s.Is MIR. Post at homer"
eyes" said the hired man; che is in the house,
"WeL then. want to see him. I've got little
business with MIN, and want you to 60 back to
Al can't Co." said the hired man. II want to go
home to see my family"
! The hired man had no sooner said this than the
| stranger cried out Bring them n nowp and Jour
| or five men jumped up IRON behind renee, ana
one grabbed the hired man while another seized
| the cOIOred woman, who had Stood little dls.
lance of. She hung on TO q tree and reused to
| go in the house, and she was beaten and Knocked
house and entered 1t. one fellow told the hired
man that he would shoot him II he did not come
with him to the house, and put revolver to his
mead.
Four Of the men came into the house with re-
One man, who seemed to have authority, turned
down the lappel OF his coat and said to U.S.
ave are government detectives and we have
come to search for counterfeit money"
'.Ihen another man pulled out some handcuns
and they were placed on our wrists. We were all
ranged In row, with our backs to the clock, 30
that we couldn't see the time. They told US II we
didn't keep quiet that they would shoot u.s. They
the two servants. My sister spoke up to them,
and they told her that as she was SO damned saucy
they would have to put the handouts on her any
how
Then Captain Hobbs, one OF the band who ia
now in Catskui jail on the charge OF that robbery.
Asked
"sWhich is Mr.. Post p" (meaning my father.)
~ all he" said my father.
'Well," said Captain Hobbs, eve are going to
search the house Tor counterfeit Let US 60 up
stairs"
II forbid you to go up stairs" said my father,
They paid no attention whatever to what he
said, but one OF them took candle and CANDLE
remained In the dining room. tMr. Post had just
stated that there were but five In all, with re-
volvers cooked and pointed at the iamilyl
We could hear them up stairs, as we supposed.
breaking open locks, and we heard an explosion OF
gunpowder also. Nearly three-quarters Of an hour
elapsed before they came down STAIRS. When they
came'dOwn they had lot OF BEDFORD with them.
Hobbs blew out his candle as soon as ne came ne
their pockets, which we believed to be our prop,
erty. Four OF them went outside of the door. aud
men then took the bedcoid aud tied all SIX OF US
around an empty bedstead, with our faces out In q
CIRCLE. They tied our arms and hands, and tied our
legs to chairs.
When they had US all tied safely Captain Hobbs
Now we'u have a nice little class meeting and a
nice little nymn.n
Thls struck Mr.. Post as being a very funny re-
mark. and he laughed heartily at the remembrance
OF Captain Hobbs' JoKe.)
They took all the pocket knives from our
pockets and az the table knives from the table ana
twice after just going out, and said to the remain
ing roboers:-"The Captain says you must come
out right away" They seemed TO be IN great
hurry to get away, / Thought Another man said,
"WeW take pail OF water and water the
sNo,r said another "they are too warm.n
Never mind,' said the man who spoke first, sit
will do them no HARM"
He took one pail OF water which we had drawn.
We could not tell whether they had a wagon or
not, our house being quarter OF a mile from the
nearest house, ana one OF the women VINO lives
there says that she heard noise OF wheels and q
wagon rumbhng.
THE pOOTY TAKEN
They took $225 in currency, S75 or $50 in gold
and silver, some from my father's pocketbook in
the bureau, and my sister had $40 or s12 Id the
bureau, which was not locked. Some of the money
was in q chest OF drawers. They took some Is
sIiver/ spoons IL forks, Of the same material; a
gold watch and chain belonging to my
sister, valued at about SIPS; check for
$1,000, and one for $3.50, on the Ianners'
by Mrs. Narsno, payable to the order OF r. H.
King, endorsed by him, payable to Order Of Abra-
ham Post, and the other ones made by Jacob
Barget, payable to Abraham Post or bearer. There
was Also two Greene county bonds, each valued at
$500. which could not be realized on. because they
would have TO be presented at Catskill to the
County treasurer. They also took an overcoat be-