Sharp County record., 1877-08-31
An Aged Clergyman is Gagged by Mask.
ed Burglars.

The Boston Journal gives the follow.
inc accoHnt of the attempted robbery Of
an aged clergyman: The quiet town Of
bingham was on Saturday night the
scene of bold attempt at burglary,
which fortunately resulted without loss
of property or permanent bodily injury
TO the party attacked. Rev. Henry
Hersey. formerly settled at Barnstable,
Mass, but for many years retired from
the ministry, resided on Main Street,
near the former location of the Old
Colony House, and in the immediate
vicinity of the residence Of Mr. Alfred
HerSey, Mrs. John A. Andrew and Mr..
Charles Blake. About midnight on
Saturday he heard a noise outside, but
attributing it to the rafting Of the
blinds, he took no notice of it. He was
soon after aware that some unusual
noise was occurring, but without SuS-
piciOn of burglars he arose from his bed
and passed to the window and looked
out. He turned to second window,
when two men, Who had climbed to the
piazza, sprang through the open win
dow, and before Mr. Hersey could reach
the door they threw him upon the bed
and then tied him hand and fest, and
gagged him by stufing handkcrchiefs
into his mouth. Before they succeeded
in quieting Mr.. Hersey he had called
loudly, but his female servant and man
servant were in apartments separated
by several partitions from the chamber
in which Mr.. HerSey was sleeping, and
heard nothing. The burglars placed
Mr.. Hersey on the floor, and then de-
manded money. Mr.. HerSey told them
he was an old man, and did not keep
money in the house, but there was
his gold watch, which they could take.
They declined to take the watch, and,
presenting pistols at his head, again de-
manded money. They turned over the
bed and ransacked the drawers OF bu-
reau, but found nothing. Seeing a
small key on the table, they inquired to
what it belonged, and, when told that it
was the key to the secretary below, they
allowed Mr.. Hersey to accompany them
to the sitting-roOm on the first floor,
where they found that the contents of
the desk were of no value to them, con-
sisting of blank book, ETC. Before COM
inc down stairs they lighted lamp, and
after they came down they again tied
Mr.. Hersey's feet. There was a small
sum of money in the house and some
bonds (since removed to a place of
greater security which escaped their
notice, though it was no doubt their in
tentiOn to make a more thorough
search, which Mr.. HerSey thinks they
were prevented from doing by signal
from an accomplice outside, as they
took their leave quite suddenly, passing
out through the front parlOr window.
Mr.. HerSey at once managed to give an
alarm, and the neighbors were aroused.
Miss Andrew, daughter Of the late Gov.
Andrew, was awakened, and, throwing
open the window, saw an old wagon
drawn by a white horse pass rapidly
toward the cove. The two burglars who
entered the house were masked, and
probably they hadt accOmplices, one
holding the horse and the other acting
as a lookout. Rev. Mr.. Hersey is d
widower, about eighty years Of age. He
was severely handled about the threat
by the ruffians, and was suffering in
tensely on Sunday from the rough usage
which he received. The burglars were
familiar with the premises, and were,
no doubt, acquainted with the age of the
occupant, who they probably thought
would be an easy victim. The two
handerchiefs used to gag were brought
by the burglars, but they were without
mark. They left a string, and an empty
flask was found on the grounds.