Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-03-03
Fighting "A Burglar.

The number of midnight robbers
who are afloat in the country just
now will give additional interest to
the following details Of a fight with
a burglar in Binghamton, n. Y:
Shortly after midnight, Mr.. Geo.
a. Kent, whose residence was the
scene of the struggle, thought he
heard noise in the house. Mr..
Kent slowly raised up in bed and
stepped out on the floor. lie walk
ed into the sitting room and deliber-
ately turned up the light which was
burning in the chandelier in the mid
die of the room. He looked around
but there was no sign Of an intruder.
Mr.. Kent thought he had been alarm
ed without cause. AS he did so the
form Of a masked burglar appeared
i'll the doorway between the two
rooms. In moment the thought
flashed through Mr.. Kent's mind that
if he surrendered he might get
chance to reach his revolver, which
was on shelf in closet at the foot
Of the bed. He threw up his hands
and exclaimed: "All right. Take
what you want. l won't disturb
you" The burglar lowered his arm,
and Mr.. Kent said "Just let me get
back into bed and then go to work"
The burglar evidently supposed Mr..
Kent had given up, and at once turn
ed his attention to business. He
took up Mr.. Kent's clothes, which
were lying Oh chair near the bu-
rean, and ransacked the pockets. A
few small articles he threw on the
floor but transferred a gold watch
and chain and a pocket book to his
own pocket. The bureau drawers
were next opened and a few articles
taken. AS may we'll be imagined,
Mr.. Kent found it very hard work to
lie still and see his property appro-
priated. 1t required all his self-pos-
session to keep quiet, but he could
do nothing without his revolver, and
that was out Of his reach. Mis-. Kent
who had borne up bravely, began to
show symptoms of alarm and fright,
and Mr.. Kent requested the robber
to be quick and get through. awe
will be qulet," said Mr.. Kent, off you
will only clear out. Go quietly and
shut the door behind YOU At last
the burgl@r finished his work and
went into the sitting room. In an
instant Mr.. Kent put his foot on the
floor, intending to get his revolver,
but the burglar opened the door in
an instant. Mr.. Kent laid down
and the door was closed again. How
to get that revolver without giving
notice of his movements, Mr. Kent
could not think. But a bright
thought struck him. He reached
out his arm and pinched the baby,
who was lying in crib at the side
of the bed. The baby began TO cry,
and Mr.. Kent sprang from his bed
and seized the revolver before the
burglar was aware of it. He thre v
open the door in the sitting room.
The burglar stood in the middle of
the room. Mr.. Kent fired instantly,
and the burglar at the same time
raised his arm, eXclaiming, with an
oath: "Now I've got you." The
burglar then rushed behind the stove
and succeeded in lodging the bullets
of his would-be captor. After Mr..
Kent had fired three shots, the vii
lain then rushed from behind the
stove and grappled with Mr.. Kent,
trying to get his revolver away from
him Then began a hand-to-hand
fight. The two men rolled around
on the floor in q desperate battle for
life. Mr.. Kent tried to use his pistol,
and fired two more shots, one of
which struck the stove, and the other
struck the robber in the right arm,
Just below the elbow, and lodged in
the heshy part of the limb. Mr..
Kent exerted all his strength to
throw the man and dispatch him,
his life depended on his killing his
assailant. He called to Mrs. Kent
to get the poker or stove-lifter and
break the rascals head. Mrs. Kent
rushed to her husbands rescue, and
caught the man by the hair, in an
effort to distract his attention and
save her husband. She tried to find
the iron handle used for shaking
down the coal in the stove, but the
burglar had placed it on the table
when he first entered the room evi
IDENTIFY intending to use it as wea-
pom. At last, after q struggle that
seemed endless to Mr.. Kent, he got
his antagonist at an advantage, and
him upon the sofa standing
near the kitchen door, pressed the
revolver against his side and fired
the sixth shot The bullet entered
the body of the desperate and defeat
ed villain just below the right breast
passing upward. The wounded man
fell over on the sofa, and Mr.. Kent,
exhausted with the struggle, let go
of him. Mrs. Kent approached him
with the poker and he sprang through
the diningroom door. Mr.. Kent fol
lowed him, but did not fire again, al
though he had two shots lett The
burglar escaped through side
kitchen d ,or, which he had uniasten-
ed when he came in. But he applied
for assistance for his wound at a
house near by, where he was arrested.
He had an accomplice, but he was
such coward he fled at the first in
dications of 4 fight, otherwise Mr.
Kent might not have been so sue
ceSstul.
The Court Knew Alrendy.
Nevada Silver Star.
At recent trial in the Elko county