The New York herald., 1876-07-25
A BURGLAR TRAPPED.
DROWNED IN CIsrERN wHHH RETREATINd
FROM THE FIRE OF vICTIM-sroLHN
PROPERTY roUND ON HIS PERSON.

DROWNED IN CIsrERN WHILE RETREArINa
FROM THE FIRE OF vIcTIM-sroLEN
PROPERTY YouND ON HIS PERSON
FAYErrE, Pa, July "a, 1870
This vicinity has been visited number OF times dur.
ing tue bv burglars and the good that
they met with in each case doubt induced another
visit Friday night last which resulted fatally TO
oi the depredaors In a singular manner simon Feldt,
rich German farmor living with his mother and two
sisters, near this place was awakened about midnight
on FRIDAY by IA peculiar noise his bedroom door.
Suspecing burglars he jumped out OF bed, upseting
chair and making considerable noise Instantly the
sound o rapidly rcreatng footsteps was heard the
stairs Feld seized shotgun tha. stool In the
OF his ard to his bedroom window, which
was open. Just then the form OF appeared, run.
ming across the garden. Fedt fred At him, but the
rercating burglar kept OIL his way scaled the fence
and disappeared. The farmer aud his wife wero
highly excited but finally began search Of the house
If anything had been stolen and TO assure
themselves that one else was lurking about Feldt
was sure that there had been than burglar,
rom the sound Of tho footsteps on the stairs Ns
trace OF any other could be found, however. TOE
rooms down stairs had beeu thoroughly ransackcd and
a humber vi articles were missing among them silver
watch bcions ing 70 the farmer An cxaminato OF tha
garden day revealed tue iact that Fedts shot had
taken effect in the dying burglar. for the cabDages
through which he bad run were spotted with blood
along his track. The trail could NOT be followed after
he climbed the lencc, and no clew 10 his whereabouts
has found
rug BURGLARS BODY DISCOVERED
Detached rom the farmhouse, but only few feet
from II, Is summer ktcheu or WASH bousc. Under
this is large cstcrn, the mouth OF which is in the
centre OF the loor, covered with a trap door This
door, however, has always been left open often az
closed. There door in the end Of the
wash house next the dwelling and another
tho opposite end, opening toward the barn. These
doors never closed as tue building contains nothing
that any one would TO steal. saturday al crpoou
OF Feldrs sisters went to the csteln 10 draw
water by means OF q bucket tied to Lnc end o Z rope
The trap wns open. Sue let her bucket down and II
IN contact with something that prevented ita
SINKING. Miss Fedl poercd down into tue cstcrn and
started back in horror AZ the sight tnat hcr gaze
PLAINLY revealed by the lignt that strcamcd down
through tho opening was tho
wnIrg MAN.
Tho eyes vide open aud 'tiring through tho trap.
The rest OF the ooiy was dimy ouuucd 10 the sur
rounding darkucss The woman ran into the house
screaming Murder /" Mr. fe!dt the barn,
and hearing the cries rushed 10 the house.
On being told what was the matter no and
his Ered man removed the body rom tue cistern. 10
was that man not more than TWEEN y-Gve years Old
IL dcccntly dressed. On the forehead was deep
wound viii had evidently bisd considerably The
bo ~ vas iad On a bench IN the workhouae, anu Mr.
Feldt came 10 THIS place aud summoned Dr. Caldwell
anu an officer, who returned With him TO his iarm
large number o people ohowcl TO sec II any OF them
could dcnuy the dead man. No one had ever seen him
before. On hs person sas found
THE SILVER WATCH STOLEN
from tho farmer, ten dollar oil six-barreed rcvo-
vrr cocker, u bdncn keys on one OF his wrists
was pricked Ia with blue lnd, INK tho ctors IS r."
Notning teuding TO Idcntfy him discovered The
theory OF his death that in fleeing rom the house
the deceased burglar 10 tue rear OF his
comrauion, who reached the gardcn N slsnt of
Fcidt before tho 0rtner made his appearance
around the house. Hearing tne shot. and not NJ
TO run tue risk OF beng himself target, the burglar
had turned aud started TO through the wssh0ouss
and toward The bern. Tnc opcn cistern was 10 bs
path anu no eii ncld-long mo ~, striking his bead
against The side Of tho opening with such orce as 70
Cut the gasn IN II that seen, and TO 10 doubt
stan him tnat he was drownod before knowing what
had happened 10 him.
The body was handed over - the township poor
authorizes, who buried u 10 a field near Feldt's iarm.