The daily gazette., 1878-11-01
FIFTH EDITION.
Camden Masked Robbers.
OVER $4,000 TAKEN FROM A SAFE IN
A HOUSE WHOSE OWNERS DIsTRUsT-
ED BANKS,

OfEh YtO,NVV IAhuA EhOt n oh1 n IN
A HOUSE WHOSE OWNERS DIsTRUsT-
ED BANKS.
CAMDEN, N. j. Oct. 31.-The daring
robbery Of the Balser brothers last night
by five masked burglars, who handcufed
them and carried SIC, 500 from tho house,
has excited this usually quiet city. The
house In South Third street, where the
two bachelor borthers have so long lived
together, and In which they were robDed,
has been visited BY many hundred per
sons to-day, led there by curiosity. Wes-
ley and William Balser own block OF
five or six houses In South Third street,
In one OF which, 20, they live. They
own, besides considerable property In
other parts OF the city. They are both
advanced In years, and they live frugally
employing no servants. They add to
the letting ( property the business Of
shaving notes and mortgages.
Neither of them had any confidence in
banks, and all their uninvested money
was kept In the house. On Wednesday
evening the money IN their safe in the
second story amounted to nearly SIT 900.
A portion of this gold and silver, which
they had inherited from their parents,
who for many years occupied market
stalls in Market street below Eighth.
When the mother died, the father not on
ly continued his business, but performed
the housework, the boys assisting him.
After their fathers death they, however
andoned the market, and began TO live
very retired. One of them would so me
times walk abroad on fine day. always
appearing neatly dressed, while the other
remained indoors, it being their rule
never TO be both absent from the house
at the same time. The following is Mr..
lie is the younger of the brothers, and is
probably somewhat less than so years OF
age
~ went out for a walk at o'clock last
evening" he said, "loaving my brother
Wesley in the front ro 1m. i returned al
| about 20 minutes before 8 j opened the
door with my latch key, as usual, and
advancing, turned up the light in the
| hallway. As i did so, the door wa,
| closed behind me. At the same minute
looked into the front room and saw thre.
| masked men standing there, but no sigi
| of my brother. My Cod said TO my
self, is Wes. murdered " Just then
received blow from a man standing be
hind me, and those in front advance,
hastily and threateningly. / turnel
quickly on being struck, and knocked
down the man behind me, and hit two o
the others. At that instant l was caugh
/ round the arms and waist from behind
/ and In minute more i was gagged ant
bound hand and foot. They then tied
linen tablecloth over my head and drag
ged me TO closet in which they had be
fore put Wesley. They searched m.
pockets, taking out the key of the safe
and four OF them then went up stairs
while one remained as guard over us
| Once or twice this man spoke to me say
ing he would shoot me If attempted /,
cry out or give any alarm; and notice,
that he tried to give the impression tha
he was an lrishman by assuming
| brogue but he failed miserably.
There was $500 in gold and $500 IL
the safe, and heard them pouring th
coin into something as they removed il
| There was also Sl2, 800 in notes of yariou
denominations. l heard them go out b.
the back way. As soon as could fire.
my hands which / had been CONSTANT
endeavoring to free while In the closet,
ran to the front door and saw a man daI
down and run off up the street. | the
gave the alarm and in few minutes pel
sons came running up and unbounde
me. The robbers had placed pair of ne,
: spring steel handouts on my brothe
Wesley's wrists which he had to file of
1t seems TO me also, that they had some
thing on sponge which they had Sc,
eral times attempted to dash into nv fac,
Wesley had key TO the safe but it wa
in his fob pocket and they did not find
when they searchtd d him. They ha,
, however, previous to my coming HON
rummaged the house up stairs and emJ
| tied of its contents an old chest of NJ