The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-08
IXCENDIARIsM AND ROBBERY.
Masked human. Entering ~ House and KNOCK
Ing Its Mistress Down.

HoNEsDALB. Pa. Dec. AT about mid
night on Nov. g. 1873 the barn OF c. NJ. West in
Hollisterville sixteen miles from this village.
was discovered 10 be on fire. T. II. Baker. a
merchant living near by. hurried from his
house to the Are. He left his wife and infant
SON. and hired girl named Fanny Van Cor
den. in the house Before going out he took
from his pocket wallet into which he had that
afternoon placed s2.50O. and laid the wallet on
the mantelpiece. He had boen out Of the house
few moments only before two masked men
entered II. knocked Mrs. Baker down and threw
her child from a chair on which 1t sat They
offered no violence 10 the hired girl. who stood
by and saw them take the wallet from the man
telpiece. She made no outcry after they went
out and the outrage at Bakers was not known
to any one until the return OF Mr.. Baker from
the hre. His wife was so badly hurt that It was
at first thought hor injuries were fatal She is
still unable TO get about without assistance.
Vests barn was entirely consumed with It's
Mr.. Bakor had been in Hollistervillo only a
Hoser saH.t %e elea sS' Of ihc
amount Of $500. Mr.. baker had made no do
mand upon HollisteT for the money. Late ia tho
afternoon Of Nov. z, Hollistcr went 10 Baker
and paid him the debt Baker nut the money
into his wallet. Later. friend advised him not
! TO keep the money about him. Mr.. Baker gave
1t 10 the friend for safe keeping. retaining 800
es s nn @ Of bc aT e ~
money except his family. Squire HOLSTER
| and George Burns. the latiers brothcr-in- law
Hollistar and his brother-in- law drove away
| from town that evening.
Owing to a number Of similar rohberies that
| had been committed and attempted in and
| about Hollisteryille during the past fifteen
years OF which Squire HOllister and relatives
| Of his were suspected of having knowledge
Baker robbers squire TIoilister was twice con.
victed. in 1867. OF burglary. Ho escaped under
| n supreme Court decision on a technical point
| Of law Mr.. Baker set about investigating the
| circumstance connected with his robbery. He
! Esquire Hollistsr and his brother-in- law Geo
| Burns. visited Hqne-lale, Hollister ap'
! piled TO Judson ]. Curtis. Esq, for q
! loan OF t2.5O0. Mr. Curtis did moi
have the money. Hollister then gave him
| 1900. on condition that Curtis would get the
money for him. Curtis applied e. Oliver Bun
| nell money lender. Bunnel had the money
| but had promised 1t % another person. Curtis
| told H0lister so. Hulli-t'r went 10 Bunnel
personally. and gave him 500 10 lot Curtis hnye
| for the loan that Bunnell let him hHvc the
| money. HOllister and Burns then returned &
Hollsterville and paid Baker.
Detectives from scranton. New York. and
| caso. Thoy have been working II W evor since
! On Wednesday they advised tho arrest o
George Burns. and he was arrested by Con-
stable Simons. Mrs Baker swOre that sh,
iaepiaed him rs one q Ne meR Who ai,s, cnisrsI
| her and took the pOckctbook containing 500
| Burns was committed 10 Hone-dale lnil in de
| fault OF 81 800 bail. Yesterday tho girl. Fnnni
| Van Gordcn. and a young man named william
| Meyers were arrested on charge Of being nc
| and were held In $500 and fl,5DO bail respec
| lively which they furnished.