The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-05-22
would seem to have been made on the

the prisoners 1areWcll, ana Wllcn al out
the officers of the law had left them,
the black cap was adjusted, hands and
feet were tied, the fatal rope fastened,
and at fifteen minutes past two Q clock
the Chapel Hill burglars were launched
into eternity. Andrews died without
a struggle. The other two with but
little. In about twenty minutes they
were pronounced dead by Drs. \. q.
Carr, II. w. Thomas and \. MacJohn-
son, all ofDurham. The bodies were hen
cut down and delivered to their respect
i've friends. Davis wa brought to his
fathers, near Chapel Hill, for inter
nent. Andrews to his father III the
country. Carlton was also to be buried
III the country.
Thus ends as sad a story with as
t~ragical an ending as Chapel Hill has
known in the hundred years of its exis-
tence. May it never know another
such"
The same paper gives the following
graphic account of the burglaries =
1t was nearly two years ago, during
the first Normal School, III the summer
of 1877. An office on the lot Of Mrs.
Kirkland, Il widow lady, was occupied
by two unmarried ladies in attendance
on the school. In the dead hour Of
midnight, one OF the ladies, a large
powerful woman, was awaked by the
noise of some one III the room. Speak
ing out and getting no reply, she started
from bed and was seized by a burglar.
An awful struggle ensued. The woman
was brave and strong, and the terrible
excitement nerved her for awhile. She
tried to hold the man until she could
Get 4 Ratchet from a closet near by or
until help should come No help came.
Her woman nature yielded, her grip
grew weaker, and the villain escaped
through the window.
The subsequent enc IN the spring
and summer Of 1873 were OF the same
color. Week after week the community
was alarmed and terrified by success
sion OF reckless and mysterious burgla-
ries committed in the very heart Of the
village. No less than eight desperate
burglarieS were perpetrated OF attempted
before the attack on Mrs. !iendon's
house. and IN several cases fierce en-
counters had between the burglars and
ladies' in the houses entered. some Of
whom bore on their faces for several
days well marked wounds received in
the struggles. Sometimes there were
evidences that the burglars had looked
around for plumber, but nothing was
stolen, either because the burglars were
interrupted generally OF because their
purpose was darker and more brutal.
No weapons were used UP to the
ATTACK ON MRS. HENDON.
During the night Of Saturday, june
l., 1878. Mrs. Hendon's front door was
forced open by one or two men throw
ing their bodies against it. the cast iron
hasp was snapped in two, and her house
was entered. Mrs. Hendon had heard
parties walking in her back yard before
during the night and also had heard
strange noises around the house and
parties walking on the porch. She
tealed an attempt at burglary and, get
ting up from bed, lit the lamp and
made Il noise with a chair to show that
she was awake and thereby to scare off
the burglars. This was near midnight.
After stirring about a little, she lowered
the light and lay down again. She was
awaked- by the bursting of the front
door; and, jumping up, ran to a win
dow, threw it up and screamed for DIR.
Mallett, her nearest male nclghbor.
The burglars did not retreat; but,
having forced the front door and en-
tered the hall, turned to the left and i'm
mediatelv forced Mrs. Hendon's bed
room door in the same way, breaking
the hasp in two. Mrs. I'll. all the while
was leaning out Of the window and
screaming at the top OF her voice, while
her little daughter Maggie was in bed
frightened badly and hid under the
cover. Some one seized Mrs. IL. be
hind and she was hacked and chopped
over the head with an axe, all the while
lodging and screaming doctor, Doc
tor, some body is killing me- 1t is "a
wonder that DR.. Mallet heard her cries.
1t is a greater wonder that she was not
killed bv one of the half dozen blows
at her. But God has said that
the widow and the fatherlcss are his.
The familiar CRY of Doctor, Doctor
aroused Dr. Mallett and his household.
John Mallett ran hastily in his shirt
across the street towards Mrs.
HIS. and DR.. VI. followed. Meanwhile
Mrs. IIendon's two older daughters,
aroused by the noise and struggle,
screamed from their room up stairs for
jim and Simon, W. negro boys living
ON the lot. Jim and Simon soon came
running out of the kitchen where they
Mrs. Hendon' daughters shouted
Mamma, Mamma, the boys are COM
Mrs. Mallett shouted the Doe
is coming. Johnnie Is coming"
The burglars at once fed, after aiminga
last terrible blow at Mrs. Hendon,
which would have killed her instantly,
but missed her and cut a chip out ofthe