The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-27
FIGHTING FOUR BURGLARS.
LONG TSLIND FIRMER'S UNCITIL
CHRISTu.fS EVE VISITORS.
Mrs. Mnrsh's Brave struggles for IA Revolver,
ana her Flight for Aid over the Frozen
Ground In Night Dress and Hnrefooted.

roof Is fiat and it has piazza extending the en-
tire longth of its front. His farm is small but
he is known ne a thrifty. hardworking man. Ho
has deformity Of his spine. and Is hardly
more than nvo feet high His bedroom window
opens on tho piazza. and he has beon accus-
toned TO keep q light in this room. and to leave
one OF tho blinds opcn. as n safeguard against
an attack by burglars. At 10,s o'clock on Christ
mas eve he was awakened by hearing a sound
as Of hand moving along the window SASH
He thought the noise was made by John Miller.
his hirod man. who WAS out that night and
whom he expected to rap at the window when
he came home. Hc got up and called out:
" Is that you. John ?"
There was no answer. He was surprised to
find both blinds open. but after listening short
time in vain for n repetition Of the noise. he
went back TO bed. Soon there was knocking
at the front door. He got UP again and asked
who was thero.
We are officers" voice replied. and we
want TO como in. We are after an escaped con-
yirt. and we have n search warrant"
What's his Nance" Marsh asked.
It's Joe" was the reply
Marsh told them there was no such person
there. and balo them 20 away Gnd come back Ia
the morning They said they would break
down the door II he did not unlock it. The bed
room door opens into tho hall closc by the front
door. Marsh called to his wife to bring him his
revolver and she did 80. 1t is Of the od-iash-
toned kind known as pepper boxes" Only
two Of its barrels were loaded.
Hes got a revolver" Marsh heard one OF
the men say.
Nevertheless they began TO push against the
door. He could tell 10y tho spring Of the panels
whore thoy were pushing and he would have
fired through tho door nj them only that the
revolver had been londrd BY John Miller. and
he was afraid II wasn't loaded right, a moment
atterwayd the catch gave way and the door flew
open. Standing before him on tho pnzza he
saw four young men. one WAS very tall. One
was sllJft an thick, and t'.s were Of medium
height, Al wore slow ned hats. and none OF
them ma a. ard AT first he thought be
IS Tat you. 'iif tCharley2 What are you doing
hercY" be osAed.
The tall man skunk back as II he had rcally
been recognized. but tho next moment the four
sprang in upon him. the little ono first, Marsh
caught him and flung him partly down across
III 20 gS9 ~ Rim ay,bdWy ,bd gu br GeerS dS ne rn aI 1T
down uuon the floor and had got his revolver
away from him. one Of them pointed 1t at his
SeycrthSicss he struga;ci ali Ee Gould To- TiS. pre
vent them from putting small SSoia or cor,,
pfonna MS neck. Ihis ropo contained several
carried by professional burglnra.
Daring tho struggle Mrs. Marsh. well-iorm-
her husbands liie threatened. caught hold ~
the revolver. which was held by the short man,
Spd spS. nearly X sueSeeded Ss n Yrenehpg from his
however and the snort man said m a terrible
You'd ..,i, "a, better keep away or III blow your
This frightened her, and she sprang back
into tho bedroom and locked the door. This
action left the hall in perfect darkness and her
husband bosought her TO open tho door again.
she did 50 at once, BY this time the four burg,
Marsh's neck. and apparcntly alarmed at the
lSssinNW o. = discovery g. 2 scufi' carried
Sa Saa iP Pi the ioi5 front p" Of the hoai' drag
through narrow passage into the kitchen,
iiero Marsh who still fought with all
his strength. was struck on the head nnd partly
stunned 10y the revolver. Again Mrs Marsh
seized the pistol and fought for its possession
with all her strength. Hcr hold was broken n
second time. She saw her husband lyipg still
on the floor. with blood oo2jug from tho t0p OF
h is head and she thought he had boon Killed
doorto alarm "A nelghbor John Wullorst an
eighth OF q NILE away. She wore nothing eX;
bare. uici. though hiitnr wind was Blowing
and the ground was .ro1en hard. Whom she ar
rived at Wuliors!s house he had not returned
home, and llr-. Nuliorst was 30 frightened at
her hurriedly told story that she would not un.
lock the door to let her in.
! must get in, anJ now" Mrs. Marsh plead
od, or u free2' 70 death"
A last Nlrs: Wulforst orenel nm inside blind
AT the back OF the house. and Mrs Marsh her
in, she docs nOf know how Her feet wore blis-
tered on the the 6o,t2wi , as 4 by burning Much
awaken h"r two boys and 10 allow them ~ ven
turo out to alarm another neghbor. Jacob Hon.
man.
In the mean time Marsh had boon lcft In tho
care 81 two oi the burglars while the on or two
wen INTO the bedroom and ransackcd bureau
drawer. They did not scarch in any other
room in the house. nor elsewhere in this room.
In ne drawer [hcy found $40 in pockeibook
q silver WAt,h, a gold ring with hair in
Sa Y and Mrs. &@shs &@F 2. S@sasneni SaGSSas
short time. When they came out they smoke ~
the likelihood that Mrs Marsh would raise nn
shaker dealt Marsh another blow on the 6end
which. for a moment, confused his mind Then
they all ran out through the front door. Marsh
got up imm 'diatoly aicr they had gone and
lighting lantern, went out 10 the barn cNuert-
ing 10 Ind that his wife hnd hidden herself
forsts house. ON the way he met jacob Hon-
man and another neighbor, Henry Poterman
to 20 10 tho house while he went 10
ind his. wife at Nulforsts. whore they
70 recognize his voice nt first when he called
Tor almliHn, ., 50 sure WAS she that he had
been killed. In some borrowed clothes She ac-
blotched with blood. The drawer in which the
money and lewelry. We're kept also contained
worn by three liulc children whom Mrs. NInrsh
has lost. those Ge"Baakes had been thrown in
a III on tho noor. When Mrs. Marsh gather,
her engagement ring which the thieves had
apparently dropped in their haste. Littlo
adopted into The chililoss home only the day
heforo the burglary. had not coased crying from
the moment the scufflc IN the hall began until
It's now mothers return 10 the house. The
burglars left Mr. Mnrsh's revolver lying on the
kitchen floor. On the next morning. under the
edge ot piece Of carpet In the hall was found
a small seven hnrrelled revolver Of n modern
pattern. on the handle Of which tho makers had
engraved the words Tramp's Terror"
Mr.. MRrsh's wounds arc not considered
dangerous. though the marks on his head
yesterday showed that he had received pretty
heavy blows lie has no suspicious AS 10 who
the burglars can be-. The short one had a rcd
face and IA large. thick-lppod mouth. lie wore
skull cap drawn down over his ears under
his sl)uched hat. They wercall uudcr 25 years
o. age. md almost too we'll dressed for trhmps
Mr.. and Mrs. Marsh are sure they would recog-
n2e the short one ifthcy should SEE him again
The nnNt morning Stout club which had been
obtained by breaking lilac hush was found
on the piazza lying beside the ropc or cord
used by tho burglars The farmers in the
neighborhood are very much excited. Several
OF them said Yesterday that the law would be
found too slow II they could fnd out VINO had
committed the crime
Steamship Passengers Searched.
Among the passengers by the steamship
scytla, which arrived u thi, port yesterday morning
wasa gentleman named solomon. lie caused a scn,a.
ton iN tine OBJ