Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-08-04
VAsvkar, July n. 1875.

tANUk8f, July II, 1919.
~. B. r. Sekpesg Dear SIR, As
you frequently ask Jour irieads to re-
port to you items that may prove inter
esting to your many readers, We may
occasionally, when opportunity affords,
do 30. When we read in the county
papers of 50 many bold robb.ries,
attempts at burglary, cases Of assault
and battery, drunkenness, &C., in
other places, We are led to think
that we have escaped remarkably well
in this quiet, industrious and peaceabls
community, in and around v,nwert
but We were alarmed on last Sabbath
evening, about 7 O'Clock, when word
came up the rDai that three thieves had
entered the house of Mr.. Barner, re-
siding about three -fourths of a mile
south OF this place. and that . son of
MIR. Barner had been shot at three
times. The parents we're not at home
the rest Of the family also we're absert
from the house at the time, excepting
the boy, who was at the barn attending
the live stock The dog at the house
kept up feaffu! barking. The boy
hearing this, went to the house and
walked quietly up the stairway, and
looking into q room, he espied three
men examining the bureau drawers.
He ran out to give the alarm, but had
scarcely got fse rods from the house
when be was fred at three times. Mr..
Oberholtzer's family heard the reports
of the revolvers. The news soon came
to US, when Mes.rs. w. Kurtz, j. Ober-
holtzer and sons, j. Fike, d. W eits, R.
Moist, j. Shirk, myself and others
soon reached the house, armed to suit
the occasion, and determined TO cap
ture the villains if possible But the
rascals had fed. They bad taken out
everything that had been in the bureau
and thrown the articles On the hoor.
A chest, which MIR. b. had locked be-
fore leaving home, was opened and ran
sacked.
Two daughters of Mr.. Barner re-
turned home from Sunday-school while
their brother had gone to notify the
neighbors, and finding things upside
down, one remarked to the other, that
the brother doubtless had endeavored
to make them believe that there we're
burglars about. They tried to open
the stair-door to 90 upstairs, but the
door was held fast or locked. They
then went to milk, and did not know
that there had actually been robbers In
the house until our posse told them.
The robbers doubtless saw US coming,
and made their escape intp a cornfield
near by, and thence to the woods. 1t
appears they wanted money, but in that
they were disappointed although in
their hurry they had thrown a small
amount out oh the floor. but it was
wrapped up SO that they did not recog-
nite it.
l don't know that it would be out of
place to add just here that our inoffen-
sive neighbor, Mr. Michael g. Long,
residing on farm one mile due west
of this place, has been terribly annoyed
with What might be properly termed
sneak-thieves, of the most ignorant and
cowardly kind. Last fall he noticed
that some of his fine fowls had left very
suddenly on several occasions, ald at
another time some wheat had been
taken away very mysteriously. 1t ap-
pears that one or Two of bis neighbors
had lard and other things stolen. Mr.
Long had business last spring that re-
Quired him to be away from home three
days and nights. The person who at
tended to the live stock and house af-
fairs was not there after night during
the absence of Long, but he noticed
that corn was being taken every night
that some person or persons had got IN
at the top Of the crib, the door of
which was locked, and had taken prob
ably several bushels of corn ears. He
reported the fact to Mr.. Long, OF his
return. The same week about a quar-
ter of barrel of fish was taken out Of
the cellar, and The door shut up as be-
fore. This aroused Long. He deter
mined to keep up q watch. The Sec
ond night thereafter, when the family
had retired and blown the light, young
pup gave the alarm that there were
some unwelcome visitors about. MIR.
l.. looked out of the window and saw
two persons about entering the barn.
He asked them what they wanted
They wheeled and ran away up the
lane. Another night, shortly after, Mr..
Long vas awakened by the pup, and
looked out just in time to see a man
run away from the cellar DOOR, (which
was locked this time); he had worked
considerably at the lock to get it open.
The cowardly villain ran up through
the orchard like sheep-thief.
When those scoundrels read this ar
article they will understand that we
mean what we say when we tell them
that we are prepared to give them a
warm reception. This thieving must
be stopped. We intend to keep up
close watch for the scoundrels. We
are willing to say nothing more about
the corn, wheat, fish or poultry, but if
We are fortunate enough to trap them,
or see them again in mischief, We will
positively punish them to the full ex-
tent of the law, or one or both will 60
up that hill limplng, or get a bullet
hole put through the back of their
shirts.
Yours respectfully,
W. Il. NJ.