Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-08-20
ALADY OFNERVE.
How She Disposed Of a Burglar
Who Laid Hands on the
Family Teapot.
N. Y. Herald, III

n. Y. Herald, III
The quiet little town of New Brigh-
ton, Staten Island, has recently heen
thrown into state of considerable ex-
citement by the presence of burglars
in its midst, and during the past
month more than one attempt has
been made to relieve some of the Wis
itors of the burden of their family
plate. The thief who on Friday last
entered the house of Mr.. Hamilton
with view of plunder, little thought
when, after having seen the family
out, he sneaked up the back stairs to
the parlor, that all his villianous mo-
tives were going to be upset and him.
self put to fight by the daring pluck
ofa young girl.
Mr.. A. S. Hamilton, of this city.
spends the summer in one of the quiet
little country houses in one of the
prettiest spots in New Brighton,
near the Staten Island cricket ground. |
The household consisted of Mr.. and
Mrs. Hamilton, two servants and Miss
Alice Hamilton, an active young lady
about eighteen years of age. On Fri |
day evening last Miss Alice was sit
ting on the piazza, which faces the
lower road, enjoying the delicious cool
Of the evening breeze. Her father
and mother were out paying calls,
and the two servants were out for an
evening stroll, and as she sat with her
dog by her side, fine specimen of an
Irish setter, the shades of evening
came on apace, and thinking it was
time to return indoors she entered the
house and closing the front door after
her, went upst irs to her bedroom,
accompanied by her dog. When up
stairs she thought she heard footsteps
in the parlor, and thinking 1t was
some Of the family returned she trip
ped down stairs, and on entering the
parlor, to her horror found, instead of !
her father or mother, whom she had |
expected, strange man orouching |
over the sideboard, quietly stufiing. a |
quantity of family plate into bag. !
W ith more presence Of mind than |
most young ladies would have exhib-
tied under the circumstances she
called out, "What is your business
here?"
A LIVELY TUssLE.
The villain made no reply, but !
seized large silver teapot from the
sideboard, and was in the act of slip |
ping it into the bag when the young |
heroine spraug upon him, and, seizing
the teapot in both hands wrenched it |
from him. The thief, in an instant, !
seized jug that was near and hurled
it at her. She adroitly turned on one
side, and the jug fell, smashing into
a thousand atoms on the floor. The
brute then, in an instant, Sprang out
OF the room, the brave young lady
but a foot behind him. Seizing a
screen that impeded his flight he
flung it behind him, and by that means
checking for a moment Miss Hamil-
toms pursuit, threw open the front
door and vanished out of sight, max
ing for the bushes that surround
the villa. All this time the dog was
barking furiously, but offered no re.
sistance to the thief or aid his to dis
tressed mistress, Miss Hamilton.
finding the thief had escaped, rushed
into the street calling loudly for as.
sistanee, but before the neighbors
could be aroused the thief had made
good his escape. All this took place
between half-past seven and eight
o clock in the evening. At 10 o'clock !
Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton returned and |
were of course greatly alarmed at
hearing what had happened and at
listening to the thrilling details of
their brave girls story, Mr.. Hamil.
ton Immediately set out to search the !
premises, and in the bushes at the .
house found three spoons, a silver SUI.
gar basin and pepper pot, and the rest |
OF the missing silver was found among !
the bushes at five o'clock the next |
morning by the servants, who had !
arisen early to hunt for the rest of the
stolen property. 1t is generally sup
posed that this attempted robbery was
committed by some sneak thief who
was acquainted with the premises, as
the front door is hard to open from the
insiderequiring two hands and the man
in his flight turned the two handles in
an instant as if it was not the first
time that he had opened that door.
A TALK WITH THE LADY.
The extraordinary courage of the
lady saved her family from a serious
loss, as the plate was old and valuable
and there was plenty of it.
A Herald reporter called yesterday
afternoon at Mr.. Hamilton s house, and
was Subordinate as to find the young
heroine at home, and she graciously
gave him the facts as above narrated
She laughed merrily as she told the
various incidents Of her adventure
with tie thief, and said, in answer 10