The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-24
MASKED ROBBERS AT WORK.
M. and Nra. Smith Put to sleep by Burglars
The Hobbers Test the Rev. Nr. Oakey's
Silver and then SIT Down Go Luncheon.

The Robbers Test the Rev. Ar. ORkeys
Silver and then SIT Down co Luncheon.
JAMAICA, l.. l., Jan, 23.-At midnight last
night pnrty Of three men, with a single horse
| nnd buggy. drove into the town Of Springfield.
| about three miles cast OF here. They had
| an old-fashoned wagon and carried one
| dark lantern. one pair Of pistols ono bur
| glars jimmy. one tamping iron Of the kind
used on railroads. about seven feet long by an
inch and half thick, one cold chise and two
bludgcons Two Of the men had masks OF
| black Grape over their faces. All wore thick
! overcoats and mufIicrs. They approached
| Springfield from the direction Of the Southern
Railroad. and drove first to the railroad station
With the aid Of the jimmy they broke opon the
| windows. and then with the cold chlse attacked
| the money drawer. They found nothing in IL,
| and after rummaging tho apartment. went
away carrying with them a banjo q guitar. and
an overcoat belonging to Mr.. l.. r. Thompson.
the telegraph operator. The men evidently
| expected to get something more bulky with
which to ilil their wagon. or else they expected
10 return 10 the station. for they hid the guitar
and banjo under the building. leaving tho horse
| tied at the eide OF the rond.
They next approached tho house Of James
| Avery in the outskirts OF the village. Mr.. Avery
and his family heard them rrowing around.
| and prudenty locked and barred their doors
| in readiness for an attack Hearing noise
within. the maraulcrs moved noisclessly away.
The house Of Mr.. Charles H. Smith the Post
master and storokeeper Of Springfield stands
at the intersection Of the two main roads lead
ing into the village. The store. which has been
robbed twice within six months. adjoins the
house about flf,y feet distant. The robbers first
broke in the back door. using the heavy tamp-
| ing iron already described. They dug big holes
in the sidc Of the door by thrustng with the
iron. and AZ last succeeded in getting II open
| They helped themselves to a box Of cigars and
| nit'r lighting these, attacked the money drawer.
| There was only f3 in II. They stole q quantity
| OF official postage stamps. which could be OF no
| usr 10 them. ana few other triling things.
| and then went out clos ling the door l~.hIudt Them
| The smallest of the robbers then took ON his
| boots. put them on tho empty water cistcrn on
| creeping TO the window. inserted the edge OF
| the jimmy beneath II. The frame opened with
Q crack. and the man in his stocking feet, fol-
lowed by the two. entered the sttingroom They
rummaged about the kitchen for a few minutes.
and then entered the large bedroom In the first
young children we're Sleep sieephg. M Mr. smth INIT had
got back from New York late that night. and
WAS sleeping sounder than usual To make
sure, however. one Of the men held n handker-
chief saturated with some chemical to Mr.
under his bed for box. in which Mr.. Smith al
ways Keeps large sum OF money. On that
night night i9riunalely he h9d put the box in some
Mr. smith pbnlalo oons We're living on the floor
near the bed, and from them the robbers took
sl2 IN silver. They took Mr.. Smith bran now
bought in New York, and carried them @ on Re-. ,
turning one of the robbers forced open the closet
door between Mr. Smiths bed and that OF the
children. Mrs. Smiths silk dresses and other
| clothing hung there but without taking any
thing the robbers hunted all around the room
| Tor the box containing Mr.. Smiths cash bal
M , bu' Wltnout success, ineh they Went opt
plunder as Mr.. Smith awoke. lie lay hall stu
pcned for a while. conscious that two strangers
| Z Df "a H.
out power or disposition 90 move. He says he
iheNN,e heNer ieu so IN MS ie 9ni
suddenly one Of the masked men looked NJ
ana hearing Mr.. smith rise in bed. whis pcrod
hurriedly to the others:
Como. lets git out OF this"
smith tried 10 nnd his clothes. and while he
was rrouing for them the burglars broke open
the kitchen door and made on. In their haste
Smith : ft'st oycrcoat. These were left In the
| road back Of the istore together with tho cold
chisel and half "a sheet of paper Torn from an
randa.
Watch 81 lea .Drew from Dime sayiqs. Bank
hii,eu dollars '"'' Va "''' '""' ~"
Mr. Smith was 50 weak and sleepy from tho
effects of the stun the burglars had given hin
that it was some. minutes before he could do
volver under his pillow. hut ala moi one. tl'ink
OF using H. Finally he mustered up strength to
call g his wife;
Mary, get light"
The noise awoke his son. George W smith a
youth OF H. who was sleeping in the second
story and who rushed down 10 his iathers ms.
which had been carried out into tie porch and
roadway and there left hy the robbers Gooree
who was only half dressed. started after tho
| robbers taking the road toward the depot
which he reached without finding any signs Of
thom. few yards from his house Mr.. Smith
picked NJ a hottie containing black, sticky
substance. which he took over 10 Jamaca yes
From smiths the robbers returned 10 their
wagon, ana lcav ing thelr tools. t,mplng iron
cold chisel and all behind. drove on 10 the
eGnTS 6 which Ec ES.I} E n5 6aiGy dSsn
Of eXM Mayor a. oakoy Hall. is pastor. and
GpRTa parson"se % Of %hh Mr 0SEay his Is'%l %e
and three young daughters wore the solo ocru-
second story. and the robbers had a clcAr field
70 themselves First thoy selected window
leading from the sido pigzla into Tho parlor
and pasted section OF tho glass over with
some stickey substance and then With gla-
Ner's diamond cut circular hole about four
easily reach aud loosen the catrh they hunied
through the dining room and kit hen. evidently
Miss josie Oakey had taken up stairs with her
In cupboard Of the pantry they. however
S"sRRsnyp t5"$o s; $oa%%%yI' jts o%S& 5sssS6ns
two silver mugs belonging to Miss Fanny and
Miss Josie.
examined every piece Of silver 10 see that it WIS
solid and not plated. They bent sugar bowl
| all out OF shape. and broke q table spoon in two
| besides rubbing some substance over other
pieces, and then polishing them to SEQ il they
withstood the test. The three men next went
into the kitchen pantry, brought out largo
fruit cake and some, other ,eatables. together
with a bottle Of fine Old cherry brandy
and sitting down, turned no the lights and
made hearty lunch. The cake was par
tcularly good, and the young ladies say that
not n crumb Of it remained In the morning,
OF the brandy nothing was left hut the bottle and
| the cork. The robbers also broke into the back
kitchen and the laundry. and prowled around
for some time, upsetting things and making
noise enough to have aroused double the num-
ber OF sleepers above them, Then they went
out through the parlor window. leaving the
doors and windows wide open, and n strong
draught sweeping through Miss Fanny thinks
that tho robbers must have entered at a very
late hour because she sat up until after mid
night reading. and she would have been sure
10 hear any noise below stairs, The situation
OF affairs in tho first story indicated that the
robbers did not 60 away until within an hour
or two Of daylight.
Mr. smith says II wanted few minutes TO
when he was reused 10y tho conversation Of the
two men In his room, and saw them standing
near him There is no doubt that they drove