The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-09-05
tNcw York Tines
ANIGHT HITH BURGLIRs.
A Fearful Encounter Of an Aged
Couple With FOHF Masked


The village of Fairfield, Y. J., va
thrown into intense excitement ut
o'clock yesterday morning by 8 re
port thst the house of one Of its Oldes
inhabitants had been entered by burg
lars, and its inmates dangerously
wounded. A general ortpouring o
the men Of the village took place, anC
securing parties went in every direc
ton, in hope Of capturing the burg
lars. Near the railroad depot is tht
house OF Andrew T. Engle, a gentle.
man more tnsn eighty years Of age
wealthy, and reputed to have large
sums Of money in the house. The
building is occupied in part by Mr..
Engle and wife, and in the rear by
Simeon Engle, a grsndnephew, his
wife and two little girls, and Peter
Earle, seventy years OF age. The
young man worked the farm, and for
the protection OF the property Kept
two large and fierce mastiffS. About
l:SO o'clock Mr.. and Mrs. Engle, ST.,
were awakened by the opening OF
! their bedroom door, which had been
locked. -Four men, wearing masks
and holding revOlvers, were at the
| side OF the bed OF the old couple be-
| fore they could raise an alarm. Two
took position by the side OF the Mr..
Engle, and two by the lady. One in
a whisper asked Mr.. Engle where he
Kept his money, but, as the old gen.
tleman was deaf, he did not under
stand the question, and made no an
sWer. Instantly the leader OF the
burglars struck him q violent blow on
the left temple with some instrument,
and Mr.. Engle became unconscious.
The leader fastened q bamboo gag in
the old mans mouth and securely
tied his feet. They demanded of Mrs.
Engle information about the money,
and, in hope of deceiving them, she
told them that they would find some
between the leaves of book on the
bureau. This sum amounted to
about $50, and they demanded more.
Receiving no answer, one of the men
struck her two violent blows over
each eye, and she also became uncOn-
sciOus. TO still further stupefy the
old people the burglars must have
applied chlorOfOrm TO them, for the
room afterward smelt strongly OF it.
After tying the feet OF Mrs. Engle the
men went down stairs into the rear
part OF the house. Failing to find any
person there, they assembled the back
stairs and found old Peter Earle i'm
one room, and the two little girls in
another. Mr.. Earle heard some per-
SONS coming and rose from his bed.
The burglars entered, carrying
lighted lamp, anu the foremost i'm
covered Mr.. Earle with
revolver, at the same time promising
the old man il he made no noise he
would not be hurt. After shaekling
him, they took the oldest girl out OF
bed, where she had lain awake para
lyZed with fright, and said : "Don't
be frightened, sissy. We won't hurt
you" The child, eight years old, |
submitted to having her hands tied
down to the dining room, as also |
was her little sister, six years old, |
who was asleep. During this time
only one room had been unsearched |
the bedroom OF Simeon Engle and |
wife, back Of the dining room. To-
ward this two of the men were ap-
when the door opened and |
Simeon looked out. He took In the |
pulled the door back and |
locked it. One Of the burglars seized |
an old musket with q bayonet at
.ached, and attempted TO lift the /
1Oor from its hinges. AT this Simeon |
fred his revolver from the inner |
-oOm, and the ball and report so
the burglars that they ran in |
/ body to the kitchen and attempted |
10 escape through the open window
BY which they had entered. After
iring, Simeon opened his door and
the men into the kitchen.
The lamp had been put out, but he
ired at random. The fire Wss an
JWered, and q dozen shots exchanged,
simeon delivering five. His last shot
vas made by the flash of one of the
burglars pistols, and Simeon saw the
nan he fired at throw up his hands
md fall to the floor. Simeon ran
through a side door and called for
help. He unclaimed his dogs, but |
he brutes refused to come out of their
Kennels, having probably been
irCgged. Aid came quickly from the
but the brutes had escaped,
Ind carried their injured companion
with them. Blood spots were found
)uLSlu6 the HluuOH NJ which Lney
entered and left the house, and a
securing party found blood stains on
he plank walk to the village. Mrs.
Engle was almost unconscious when
ound, and suffering terribly from
right and the shock. Mr.. Engle re-
NAMED unconscious for many hours,
md his injuries are very severe, so
hat his life is despaired of. For clues
! silk handkerchief was found with a
name upon it, This is withheld.
There was also found four bamboo
Tags, a pair Of handouts, a twenty
nch Jimmy" two black cloth
masks, and where the burglar fell
when shot was picked up a small re-
TOlver with the chambers all loaded.
No trace OF the burglars was discov-
red to-day. New York detectives
lave been employed. The four were
all young men, and work.
I'd quietly and skillfully. They are
believed TO be from this city,