The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-28
a Pistol shnt was Useful.

/ DIR. HAMMOND ) RECEPTION OF HIS NOCTURNAL
! VISITORS.
! DR.. William A. Hammond, of No. 43 west
Ftty-fourth street, New York, with his
! family, hss been spending some weeks in the
country. A few days ago be returned to the
{ city on 4 visit, leaving bis family in the coun.
try, and he and 4 woman servant were
! the only occupants OF the house. On
TueAday morning about two hours
! before daylight the Doctor was awakened
! by the violent ringing of his burglar alarm.
I The wires are so arranged that an indicator
| in the sccond-story front room shows at what
! door or window they have been touched.
! His sleeping.room is in this stery. and he
| Immediately arose and armed himself with
what is known rs horSe-piStol, carrying a
ball nearly as large as Il hickory-nut. With
this be fastened into the front room, and
there learned from The indicator that the
wires guarding bis Office window, 10 the rear
OF the first story. had been tempered With.
A little handle fixed by the side Of the in
dicator is attached to wire that reaches to
the American District Telegraph Company's
nearest office, and by pulling this handle the
number of the house and the name OF the
street are there registered. The Doctor
quickly pulled this handle, and hurried 10
the bathroom. in the rear of the second
story, from whose window he had clear
view Of the Office window, and Of the yard
at the back Of the house. Thence be saw
three men. One was about twenty feet from
the house, beyond the fence that enclOses the
barrow backyard; another stood in the yard
about midway between the fence and the
house; and the third was ciinging to the sill
Of the Office window, which was open, try
ing to pull himself in.
COLD LEAD.
The bathroom window WAS closed, but the
doctor cooked his pistol, so that its noise
might not alarm the burglars after he raised
the sash. Then be laid it on little stand
that stood by the wall, and slowly opened
the window. The sash fitted loosely in the
frame. aud he raised it without alarming the
burglars. He stood by the open Wlndo" for
Il few seconds. waiting to see Whist the men
would do. The one by the window pulled
himself up, got bis knee over the sill, and
swung himself silently into the Office. The
Doctor considered that if he fired at the man
in The yard he would alarm the one in the
office and have another shot at him as he ran
ont. So he raised bis heavy pistol, aimed
carefully at the man in the yard, and pulled
tue trigger.
Or. Hammond is very large man, being
sn inch over six feet in stature. and broad
in proportion. He had not stopped TO dress
himself. and as he stood By the open bath.
room window in his white sleeping-cothes,
he could be seen plainly from the yard, out
lined against the dark background. AS he
fired the burglar in the yard uttered cry
and staggered against the fence. The man
beyond the fence looked up at the window,
and seeing the Doctor there, his pistol aimed
for another shot, shouted, Cd d-u you
that's your game, is it," aud aS he spoke,
he aimed quickly at the Doctor and fired. 1t
wss done so quickly that DR.. Hammond had
not time to sep aside from the window and
the bullet struck him on the forehead, close
to the right temple. But, rs be presented
m obque front to the man beyond the
fence, the bullet glanced from the bone; it
cut AL ugly cash n the flesh, and penetrated
the bathroom wall. The Doctor did not
finch, but fired again and again, TOUR times
IN all, cmptying all the cuambers OF his pls-
tol. Mean while, the burglar spranS out OF
the parior window aud ran to his companion
in the yard, who was grooming ard bleed
ing, and had evidently teen badly wounded.
He and the man outside helped the bleeding
man over the fence, and the three disappeared
In The darkness.
THE EFFECT OF THE DOSE.
The alarm having been given to the Dis
trict Telegraph Company, another wire car
ried the information OF the house 10 the
Grand Central-dep0; polce-statiou, and be-
fore the Doctor got down stairs the house
was surrounded by policemen. The cellar
and all the stories OF the house were carefully
searched, but nothing was found except
handkerchief stained with blood, which DR..
Hammond says wss from the lungs, which
indicates that the wounded burglar was ia
tally shot. The fence that be climbed was
also hlood-staine6, and there were drops OF
blood on the brick pavement in the yard.
Or. McClennan, who lives in the house ad-
Joining DR.. Hammond's, heard the firing and
ran TO his back window. As he reached the