Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-07-14
burglary by Daylight.

| A REeIpENGE IN NEW YORK ENTERED AT IL A. NJ
BY PRETENDED AGENTS OF THE WATER BOARD
MRS. DANCER BOUND AND GAdGED-THE HOUSE
| RANsAoKED, AND 100000 IN VIRGINIA BONDS
eToLEN-No CLEw TO THE BURGLARS.
| One of the most daring robberios that have
| been committed in New York took place yesterday
| morning at the residence of Matthias Dancer, at
| No. so West Eleventh street. The police state
| that Mr. Dancer is gambler and owns a large
interest IN tho faro bank at No. Barclay street.
II il reported that he is worth from sl25,00O to
| Sl5000U Mr.. Dancers residence Id three
| story and basement brown stone front house,
which s said to be ono OF tho mort elegantly
| furnished in the city,
About 10 A. NJ. Yesterday, Mr.. Dancer went
| down town. His wife was left in charge of the
| honse. Sho is u lady IS years of age. About
| an hour after her husband loft tho house, Mrs.
| Dancers attention was called TO three we'll
dressed young mon, who were standing in front
| of the house. One of the men had u long,
narrow book in his hand, which led to the i'll
| fercnce that he was tax collector or census
| taker The men conversed with each other
| and, looking up at tho house one of them
seemed to be making entries in his book
with pencil. After making tho entries,
| the man closed the book and in
| in few moments stepped to the basement door,
followed by the other two men, and rang the
bell. Mrs Dancer did not answer the first sum-
mons of tho boil. After repeated ringing she
went to tho door and opened it. The visitors
Immediately pressed into the hallway and began
talking to her about the water rates. Explana-
tions were demanded, and while the two engaged
Mrs. Dancers attention. the third man locked
| the outside door. As soon as this was done tie
| two mon threw their arms around Mrs. Dancer
| and overpowerod her They carried her up
| to bedroom on tho Third door. Mrs. Dancer
attuiward said % / knew that was goner
| as soon us they caught hold OF mo, and
| that there was hallooing." The robbers
after satisfying themselves that tho windows
were secure, asked Mrs Dancer /" Where's them
| bonds y Mrs, Dancer said that she knew of no
| bonds in tho house. and added that if the visi-
| tors were in search of any they had better look
| after them. Taking pair of handcuiis from
| his pocket one of the men put them upon Mrs.
| Dancers wrists. They then tore mp one of Mr..
| Dancers shirts and used the strlps to mako a
gag and material for covering Mrs. Dancers
ewes and binding her arms and feet. After Mrs.
| Dancer had been securely bound, she was fast
| ened to bedpost.
| The robbers then went through the house and
| took away 100000 of Virginia bonds, valuod at
| 81 cents on dollar. The search Of the house
| was most thorough Every trunk WAS opened;
every bureau and wardrobe was emptied and
| their contents carefully examined for valuable
| property. The robbers even took up the car
pets and ransacked the beds. They had a hatch
| OF, and with this they broke open tho doors Of
] every closet and locked apartment in the house.
| The search occupied over half All hour. No
| place was neglected where any valuable articles
| could have boon hidden. Many very valuable
articles of clothing and jeweiry were
passed over in their search. The
robbers evidently had the bonds in view
when they made their desperate attempt.
| At length Mrs. Dancer freed herself from her
gag. She complained that her handcuifs hurt
her wrists, and asked that they might be fixed
| in different positioa. Tho tafiest of the rob-
bers who seemed to bottle leader Of the gang ac-
ceded to her request, and assuring her that she
| would not be gwen any more trouble than they
| could help, readjusted tho manacles. While
they were dong this Mrs. Dancer slipped aside
the covering upon her eyes, and saw that moro
men had been let into the house. Eight or ten
| wore then actively engaged in the search.
When tho gang left the house Mrs. Dancer be-
gan to make efforts to free herself from her
bonds 1t was full ten minutes before she sue
| ceoded.
Late lat evening, the thieves had not been
| captured. The police aseertained that a quanu-
| ty OF New York Central Railroad bonds that were
supposed to have been taken, had been over
looked by the robbers The only loss was the
$i0,0 900 Of Virginia State bonds, and measures
have been taken to make them unnegotiable.