The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-26
A NIGHT At THE NOTCH.
Five Desperate Burglars in a New
Jersey Farm House.
MRS. PIAGETS EXPERIENCE.
An Armed Ruffian Guarding Her
Bedside for an Hour.
What time were the robbers here?"

What time the robbers herey'
eleven minutes past one. said little Alice Piaget,
| looking at the face of the old sitting room clock.
which hung high up the wall. The reporter
looked, too and sure enough, the long. thin hands
were fixed at one-eleven. though this nearly
nightfal. "who stopped it," he asked.
''rhey did. You know people put money
and things in their clocks. and when they searched
in here suppose they hit the pendulum"
The face of the veteran timepece. like that Of the
child. looked awe-struck, il the shock Of
such midnight Intrusion might have stopped its
machinery. The Piagets live in village called the
Notch, about three miles south OF Paterson.
near the line OF the Montclair Railroad. Their
house stands quite by itself road. and
technically comprises two houses, the old home-
stead and addition. Both low frame buildings
OF an od-fashioned order not at all calculated by
their appearance excite the cupidity of gang OF
burglars. Henry T. Piaget and his wife occupy the
homestead. He is a watch examiner at No. 80 Maiden
lane. this city. and his son Philip. who has the
adjoining premises, is produce raiser. Philips
business calls him to Newark. and often compels
HIM to remain away from home over night. He
went away Friday. leaving behind him his
wife. with their three little children; Miss
Hattie Lawrence. niece of eighteen, and q
nephew OF twelve. whose father, L. A. Piaget.
is Paterson jeweller. They occupied three con-
Meeting rooms on the low-ceiled second floor Alice
slept in the middle room at the head Of the stairs.
where lamp left burning feebly. In large
room to the right were Mrs. Piaget, Miss Lawrence
and baby OF twelve months. while the boys slept
in the third apartment
NIGHTMARE.
Mrs. Piagets account of the robbery told in
faltering accents. her had scarcely
cred from it's effects. She said she awoke suddenly
an hour after midnight, and man standing
the doorway through which fell the rays Of the
lamp in the middle She surprised but
thought her husband had possibly come home aud
asked, whats the matter?"
eff you make noise you q dead woman" re-
piled the man. whose face she now observed was
partly concealed by a red handkerchief. He stepped
brsLly but noiselessy to the side of the bed with
revolver i'll his right hand, the muzzle pointed al
the woman's head. In this position they looked at
another without word. terrible time II
seemed to Mrs. Piaget, and then she remembered
her children in the other rooms.
''You won't harm the children?" she pleaded.
NO." the answer; "but want to know
where your money aud valuables are"
Mrs. Piaget told the burglar that there
money in the house. but tremblingly mentioned
certain articles of value. Meanwhile three
other men entered the room. Mrs. Piaget
did not see them come in. but Miss
the bureau a small stand containing me draw
ers, and another which held workbox Mrs. Piaget
1--WE in all. She could not remember much OF their
appearance. save that none OF them wore shoes and
all s her hsr very
was looking through the bureau and came across y
priced including her husbands picture. "Oh don't
take that. she begged; but he thrust it into his
pocket. saying, Cant help it; we've got to take it,
A BOY LEADER.
Without doubt. the man who held the revolver At
the womans head was the leader of the maraudng
party. He tall and slight wore Derby hat and
the only attempting to conceal his features.
Mrs. Piagot said his voice like ans. aud
every and then he gave directions to the others
! by u word gesture. The big making
good deal of noise at the bureau. and the leader
house the work of overhauing continued. the
thieves bringing articles to the lamp the middle
room for closer inspection. They spared nothing.
In the middle room trunk, which they forced
open. Another stood in the hallway, which be-
longed to Miss Lawrence. who was preparing for
trip to Nova Scotia, and it, too. shared a similar
fate Miss Laurence's pocketbook contained fvo
dollar gold piece; they took pocketbook and all.
in the sitting ROOM had deposit 81 10; they took
bank and all The only remaining cash they got 81
/ in silver Down stairs their search was not so pro
ductivc. but they got little satchel which neigh
boring widow Mrs Fishery had left with the Pagets
for safe keeping. 1t contained all the poor woman
possessed of any value. For hour the leader
stood. revolver in hand. at Mrs. Piagets bedside.
She felt fantness creeping over her. and said ia
her niece that she felt as if she was dying.
''No you are not said her armed guardian; 'be
cool take il easy"
At last the trial came to end and the leader left
the room. As he did so the baby awoke ana COM
menced crying Instantly the man came back. say.
ing. You must quiet that young one" She did so.
and he again went out. Their voices could just DO
heard down stairs. and then exclaimed in louder
tones. probably to deceive the women up stairs.
"You stay here. patscy. and keep sharp eye out
till we get away"
The men put their shoes just outside open
slide window through which they had entered and
the last heard OF them was when they passed the
cate. Five minutes alter Mrs. Piaeet. in =
very weak condition, crawled rather than
walked from her ROOM None OF tho chill
"a haH laan qad fha,r
were strcwn with articles which the robbers had
amncd and rejected. The hallway outside like
pied by the old people. When Mrs Paget's mind
reverted to them she filled with anxiety for
/ their safety and hurried to their sleeping room.
/ Her father-in-law awokc when she entered, and to
her exclamation OF Thank Godi" he replied.
/ '.Why. Ellie. what's the mattcrP'
| She answered, Five men have been through our
/ house. and one of them held revolver at my head
I for an hour"
'Pshaw. Efie. go back to bed: you have only been
dreaming" And it required some time to vince
the old gentleman that robbers had actually in-
Sheltered him When he was convinced he ost
no time in arousing two hired men. with whose
assistance he harnesseG hoise and drove to Pater
son. by o'clock the Chief of Police of Paterson
his way to the Notch to find IL possible some
cew the thieves. Later in the day Mr.. Piaget
told the tale OF plumber to Captain Kealey, Of the
New York Detective Bureau.
goid and two Silver Watches ono sss
jcwery, gold and pearl: one gold pin. with
coral small SET consisting OF earrings. breastpin.
&c. OF gold aud coral: brooch with
hair on one side and q picture on tho
other; several other set. gold enamelled gold
and pearl aud others: several rings, ladies'
necklace. childs pin. several sots sleeve buttons.
pearl. oval and enaneled wallet containing
So charm, containing the Lords Prayer ON
one side and scroll for name on the
other; gold pens and pencils, four silver napkin
rings. marked Hattie" MARY" Emma rcspec-
tivoy. an plain; three silver golj-iined napkin
Rugs inscribed "Phlip"-two Island "Aice''
aud one plain; four silver thimbles. inscribed
/ Hattie" Thine" aud "Annie" and one plain.
There also the satchcl. containing quantity OF
plate jowclry and valuabcs which had been left by
! Mrs. Fisher for safe keeping.
Whatever the Paterson Chief discovered on the
premises he appeared to be possessed of no definite
clew as to the idcntity OF the gang About dusk on
Friday night the family observed party Of rough
looking men, who passed and looked narrowly
! at tue house. Mrs. Piaget spoke with con-