The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-03-14
Masked Ruffians in Pennsyl.
vania.

victim being Eberhard Beiman, an old
German. who for the past fifteen years
has lived alone in house about q mile
from the village. Beilman has for years
received q monthly allowance from rela.
tives in Germany, of which allowance he
used very little and sccreted the rest
about his premises. 1t was his invaria
BILE custom to walk to the village every
morning and buy quart of beer for his
use during the day. The morning after
he robbery he did not appear as usual
and two or three Of the villagers went to
see what was the matter. Their knock
at the ront door was answered by a
moan, as if Of some one in pain, The
window curtain was drawn, and nothing
could be seen from the outside. The Wis.,
tors went round to the back door, which
they found open. Entering the house
they found the old German bound down
in heavy arm chair with a BEDFORD or
clothes line, and cloth was tied over his
mouth. The room smelt strongly Of
smoke and kerosene, and burned rem.
nants Of paper, rags and straw wero
strewn about tho floor. Under the old
mans chair the floor was burned nearly
through, and the legs and bottom Of the
chair were badly charrcd, showing that
fire had been built beneath it. What
clothing the German had on was satura-
ted with Kerosene. The room was in
the utmost disorder, tho furniture strcwn
around and broken and the old mans bed
pulled to pieces. Beiman was at once
released, when he broke forth in strain
OF the most heart. broken lamentation as
he looked about his disordered room. 1t
was some time before he could be calmed
sufficiently to explain the situation in
which he was found. Ills story was that
about one o'clock he heard some one
knocking at his front door. lie got up
and inquired who was there. "a poor
man, almost frozen. who wants to get
warm was the reply in a faint voice.
The old man responded that he had no
fire at that time Of night and told the
applicant the village tavern was but
mile further on. The old man replied
that he could walk no further and must
get in. Beiman, to see what the speak
er looked like, cautiously raised the win.
dow curtain and looked out. lie saw two
men, masked and with clubs in their
hands, standing at the door. Greatly
alarmed the old German determined to
escape from his back door and give an
alarm, but when he had unlocked 1t and
stepped outside he was seized by a man
standing there who clapped a hand over
his mouth before he could make an out.
cry and held him firmly. At signal
from this man, who was also masked the
other two came running to the back
door. On seeing Beilman prisoner,
one Of them exclaimed "By God, Jack,
that's clever" He also burst out in
quito loud laugh, when one of his com
panous admonisned him, "For Gods
sake, keep quiet" They took Beilman
back into his house, closed the door, and
before striking light took two quilts
from the bed and put one to each win.
dow, first tying cloth about the mouth
Of the old German They then lighted
lamp and tied Beiman in his chair with
a rope cut from the bed. When he was
secured the gag was removed from Bell
mans mouth, and one of the men put a
pistol to his head and bade him tell them
where he had his money or he would
kill him, and that he would kill him any
way if he made any outcry. The Ger
man replied that he was a poor man and
had no money. Meantime the two other
robbers were ransacking the room. In
the straw tick Beilman had 5000 in
greenbacks sewed up in an old vest. This
the robbers secured besides nearly as
much in gold which was hid in chest.
The man with the pistol then demanded
the whereabouts of any further sums
Bellman might have, and gave him five
minutes to tell, at the end of which time
he would be killed if he had not revealed
the hiding place Of his treasure. The
German declared that be had no more,
but refusing to swear on Bible they
found in his stand that they had found all
his money, he was informed that he
must tell or die. He replied that he
might as well die as to be left penniless
Finding their threats of murder failed to
produce the desired effect, they set fire
to wisps OF straw, paper, etc, and held
them close to the old Germans feet, and
passed them so near his face as to singe
his whiskers and hair Finding that this
torture would not induce him to tell, they
threatened to burn him up. They found
the kerosene can and sprinkled his cloth
ing with oil. They then piled some straw
paper and other inhammable stuff under
his chair and set fire to it. When the
smoke began TO roll up around his face
and envelope and choke him, and he heard
the swapping of the fire beneath him. and
saw an occasional tongue of fame shoot
out, and began to feel the heat Of the
fire as it crept up the legs of his chair,
his courage iorsoOk him and he called
out to his despoilers to put out the fire
and he would tell them where they could
find more money. They then drew out
the burning material, scattered it about
the room aud beat out the fire In one
place the old man says, he told them
where they might find $500, and they
found it. In different places, in chinks
and under boards, they searched under
his direction until they got about $4,000.
They accepted Beilmans declaration that
he had no more, after prosecuting fur.
ther search on their own account, but
they left behind them over $4,000, which
was hidden under fat stone in an out
building. Having got all they could,
they again gagged the old man, tied him
in his chair and left, coolly thanking him
for his kindness and assuring him that il
they ever went to Germany they would
, call on his friends and give them his love