The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-06-11

About half-pas ten O clock last THesda,
morning. Collector Soul received the fol
lowing telegram
.Johnsiogu. June 3, 1879. Vas gag
ged, bound and robbed oil about eighteer
hundred dollars, Government money. al
an early hour this morning T. B. Gil
bert" Mr.. Soul Immediately started fol
Johnstown, by the overland route. Tht
actual amount stolen was Sf,S35. The
following is a reiiable account OF the rob.
bery:
Pefhaps the boldest robbery that was
ever committed in Johnsiown was success
fully perpciraicd in the Office OF Deputy
Collector 4. b. Gilbert, on Franklin street,
about a quarter after six O'Clock yesterday
morning, when that Government officer
was seized from behind by two masked
men, while writing at his desk, then bound
and gagged, and the safe. which he had
opened only q few minutes prior to tie
assault. robbed OF between eighteen and
nineteen hundred dollars.
Mr.. Gilbert, as IS his custom, went 10 his
Office at six O'Clock. He saws that he open
cd the door leading 10 his room and left
the key in the lock on the outside He
then went directly 10 his safe, which
stands nearly opposite the entrance. on
the other side of the room, opened the
heavy door, and deposited in 4 CT the
drawers a large leather wallet containing
between 81, 200 and 81, 500, which he car
ried TO the hotel with him the previous
evening. He then turned 10 his desk,
which stands behind and about two feet
to the right Of the safe, and set to work
on his books. Not more than five min
uies had elapsed until he heard footsteps
coming up the stairway leading to his Of
fee. Presuming that two brewers were
coming 10 renew their supply OF stamps,
he gavesDo heed 10 the foots;ens,A did not
turn his head when the door opeEed, and
only looked around when the men had
reached his side. In another moment.
and before he could give the alarm or de-
fend himself in any way, his arms were
pinioneG behind his back and he was
thrown TO the floor. while
ALARGE TWISTED CLOTH
was at the same lime passed twice roand
the lower part OF his face and knotted on
his mouth, and bis wrists were then Sc
cnTely tied under his knees with a small
strong cord. The men left him lying
doubled up o his right side ON the floor,
passed quickly 10 the safe, opened the
drawer in which the precious wallet had
been placed. tried the other drawer, which
was f.. lHately locked, and then, without
~endeavUiiGg TO force ii, they FASTENED
from the I,pm. locked the door behind
them, and w~re heard by their victim go
ing doan slaigs with a leislrely. careless
tread, As ii they had been to the Office on
a Legitimate business GRAND and had no
10 shrink from the scrutiny Of any
honest passer-by.
Mr.. Gilbert says that he lay on the
floor about twelve feet from the entrance
and sever or eight feet from the safe. lie
looked at the men carefully and tried To
recognize them; but could not. One OF
them was OF medium height and the other
several inches taller. They both wore old
dark clc;hing, short sack coats, ana slouch-
ed halls. such as mechanics OF carpenters
might wear at their work. Their hats
were pulled low over their foieheads, and
each OF them wore a doubled handkerchief
over bis face, the lower corner reaching
below the chin. and only the eyes being
They did not offer 10 strike him,
and their treatment was M rouRher than
the circumstances required" As soon
IS they left be made a desperate attempt
% free himself, but they had done their
work well. and his struggles only caused
he thin cord to sink deeper into the flesh
his hands and wrists. The cloth be-
ng.