American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-02-12
Desperate Struggle with Burglar.

ABOUT three O'Clock on a recent morn
ing Mr.. George A. Kent, of Binghamton
On. ", was awakened by hearing the
creaking of door. He and his wife were
in their bedroom, which is on the first
floor on the west side of the house and
opens into the sitting-room. Their
youngest child was asleep in crib by
the side of the bed. When Mr. Kent
heard the noise he awakened his wife,
and then yawning, he said, in a careless,
matter Of fact way: "that he was going to
get up" He went into the sitting room
and lighted the gas, but saw nothing of
any intruder. Thinking he was mistaken
as to the noise, he turned 10 go to the bed
room, when a masked man appeared in
the doorway between the two rooms and
raised his hand as if to shoot. Think ing
he had a revolver Mr.. Kent realized that
his only defense must be strategy, and,
throwing up his hands, exclaimed to the
burglar: You go ahead and take what
you want, and FL go back to bed; only
be quick about it and don't make any
noise.'' The intruder waved his hand in
token of assent and MIR. Kent returned to
bed. He restrained his Impotence while
he watched the man thoroughly ransack
his pockets, and finally gather from the
staEd at the bedside some objects of value.
Then he saw him slowly leave the room,
partially shutting the door, and retire to
a stove in the adjoining room, at which
he paused for a moment to warm himself
Then, whispering to his wife to divert the
the burglars attention in some way, and
at the same time pinching the baby which
lay in its crib by the bedside, Mr.. Kent
passed noiselessly to a closet, where
he secured his revolver and then
it open he saw the burglar standing
under the gaslight and fired. The
burglar held in his hand a large pocket
knife, which he at first made pretense of
aiming as pistol, but quickly abandon
ing so poor Il defense he sought refuge
behind the stove. Mr.. Kent followed him
up, firing four shots. One struck the
next perforated the stove-pipe and the
fourth graZed the mans head. Thereupon
the burglar sprang out and grasped his
assailant, trying first to strike him with
the knife. But this was speedily thrown
away, and the two men-the one tall stall
wart, with heavy boots and masked; the
other small, slightly built and in his
night clothing-began fierce struggle
for the possession of the pistol. They
contended like gladiators for some min
utes, which seemed like hours to the ter
rified wife lying in the bed. They fought
through the sltting-room, overturning the
stove, upsetting and breaking the chairs
and into the dining-room, where Mr.. Kent
threw the man upon a lounge and sue
ceeded in getting the pistol for an instant
and fired. The desperate released his
hold for Il moment and then resumed the
fight. Here, for the first time, the brave
Kent called for his wife, who came to his
assistance, and the burglar, breaking
away, fled from the house. He turned a
corner and entered street where he
seemed to know the houses for he entered
one of them, telling the inmates that he
was dying, and here he was found by the
police. When removed to Jail he gave
his name, John Hayden, and stated the
circumstances of his life. He said that
he had just been released from Auburn
Prison, where he had served six years of
sentence of ten years, the balance of
the term being committed, as he alleged
for good behavior.