Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1877-12-21
BATTLE II THE DARK.
Baraggle fap Life fs~sveeu . PeIte
1oNo assd y RuPglnr

Ssragg1e fas Life Between - Police
i issa "ssss - Burglar.
kenaebeck (Me.) Journal
The fight between Charles c. Morrill,
and burglR in the house of the Hon.
Lot NJ. Morrill,, on Winthrop street,
Portland, Me, little past midnight on
"Wednesday, should place this police
mans name On the list of heroes As
the house had been entered recently
Morrill, was delegated to take up his
abode here portion of the night as a
| special watfhman- He began on Satur-
day night, going into the house unob-
served, and occasionally with dark
lantern making tour of observation,
finishing his solitary task little after
midnight. On Tuesday at midnight he
made his usual rounds before departure,
and had descended { the lower story.
Then he heard team stop in front of
the house, on Winthrop street. He re-
manned quiet and listened intently. He
heard person enter the yard and try
the windows on the west side of the
house. The windows were all down,
fastened, and the shutters closed. The
stranger then returned to the wagon,
where, apparently, was his confederate
He again came back to the window and
smashed the glass with an iron rod. He
had broken one of the upper lights, so
that ne could reach in and unfasten the
catch on the middle sash. This he did.
In the meantime Morrill, had darkened
his lantern End placed it on the floor,
and in his rubber boots crept stealthily
into the dining room and took his po-
sition. crouching with a seven-shooter
in his hand. just as, in the darkness,
Morrill, saw the form of the burglar en-
ter the room he seized him. The ruffian
struck Morrilfs right wrist with an iron
bar, knocking the revolver from his
hand, and the weapon rs it fell to the
floor exploded. He also struck Morrill,
two or three blows over the head with
the same bar
Then was begun hand-to-hand en-
counter, as the burglar was apparently
bound not to be captured alive. Nor
rill grabbed a big marlinspike which
was in his Cardigan jacket, and, while
he held the house breaker with his left
hand, punched him in the face and
mouth with the marlinspike. This
caused great pain, and the burglar
screamed to the confederate outside in
the yard "For Gods sake / believe
he is going to kill met He squirmed
and yelled tremendously, but Morrill,
held him as in a vice, and kept punch
ing him with the marlinspike. Morrill,
felt the prick of knife in his left
breast. The blade of the knife was
about eight inches long, ground to a
sharp edge on both sides. The fellow
aimed heavy blow, but the blade
struck on the buckle of Morrilrs sus-
penders, passing through that but bring
ing up ON the sides, which prevented
The knife from entering the body at any
sreat length. A wound was made be-
tween inc ribs in the region of the heart
- tue Hcpth II about one-quarter of an
inch. horliestnansf ext effort wa4
. wrcseh thetLnife FRONT TIA sana Il !
tho wohld-be murderer, VINO pricked |
Morrill, several times in the back of the |
head, cutting the scalp, and cutting also /
ais ear and neck Morrill, finally got /
hold of the knifc-handle and by main
strength took the weapon, dragging the
blade through the burglars hand.
The contestants had been upon their
'eet all the time. When the burglar
ost his knife he stopped and attempted
o escape, ordering his confederate to
shoot him ~ The confederate did
hoot, and the ball came crushing
through the window few inches above
dorrills head. The burglar got away,
md as he went out of the window Nor
ill followed him with two shots from
lis revolver, one of which he thinks
ook effect Besides his hat and dirk
,nife the burglar left behind him an
ron billy" and a large meal sack, in
which he intended, probably, to carry
If his booty.