The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-10-27
TORTURED AND ROBBED.
FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE OF THE FAM
lily OF AN ILLINOIS FARMER AT
THE HANDS OF ROBBERS.

lily OF AN ILLINOIS FARMER AT
THE HANDS OF ROBBERS.
The Chicago Times of the 18th has
the annexed dispatch from Turner
Junction, Illinois:
The house of Allen Fairbanks, a
farmer living four miles north Of this
place, was entered by burglars last
night, who succeeded in getting $500
in cash and $4,000 in Government
bonds. There is something more than 1
ordinarily sensational in the raid on /
the premises, in that it was deliber- /
ately and carefully planned, and the |
victims were subjected to torture IN I
the endeavOr to wiring confessions |
from them. About u !: 30 o'clock Mr.. |
and Mrs. Fairbanks were simulta-
neously awakened by a shuffling
/ sound in their bedroom. Their eyes
opened on three men standing near
! the foot of their bed, two of whom
were pointing cooked reYOlVers at
their heads, while the third carried a
dark lantern. With the burglars
characteristic oath, they babe the
/ farmer and his wife to neither move
/ nor speak. at the risk of their lives.
| The two reVOlVeIs were then placed
| in the hands Of one man, while an
| other proceeded to ransack the room.
! Finding nothing he seemed TO want, |
! Mr.. and Mrs. Fairbanks were com
! PEELED to get out of bed and disclose
the hiding-place of their money, which
was concealed in the bed-clothing.
Mr.. Fairbanks was led to another
room, and an effort made TO compel
him 70 turn over money by
HOLDING A LAMP TO HIS BARE FEET.
The torture availing them nothing,
| thew led their victim back to the bed
room, and in his presence kicked aud
| otherwise maltreated his wife. Her
nightclOthes were torn from her body,
and she was compelled to lie on the
floor, while the brutes rolled her over
and over with their heavy and mud
covered boots. She acknowledge
that there was coffee-can in the pan
try filled with silver. This was inn
mediately taken possession of. Then
a schedule of the silver in the house
was made out, but the ruffians said
they wanted none of this. Finally,
the confession came that there were
Government bonds upstairs. One of
the men said they had them already,
but he Indignantly threw the paper
on the floor. with The remark that
they were not dealing in that class of
goods. One OF his companions sug-
gested that he was a fool, and himself
pOcketed the bonds. More money
was demanded, and Fairbanks and
his wife were marched about the house
| singly, with cooked revOlvers held be-
tween their eyes, and horrible Oaths
ringing in their ears as awful vengeance
was pronounced if they held back any
information. Mr. and Mrs. Fairbanks
have no childcen, but two domestics
are employed in the house. They
were sleeping in the same room with
the farmer and his wife last night.
WHEN THE DEvILIsH INGENUITY
Of the thieves had been exhausted In
; dealing with the latter, they turned
, upon the girls, and subjected them to
Infamous treatment. The younger
{ was taken into a closet, and with the
; ! door shut the two brutes, pressing the
> cold muzzles of revOlVers upon her
cheek and forehead, endeavored to ex-
tort from her the further facts. Gain
ing nothing, they dragged her back to
the bedroom almost dead with fright,
S and then declared that they were
: about to gibbet the whole family. AS
it seemed that the threats might be
: carried into execution, the farmer. his
: knees and begged for mercy. Con-
viAced at length that nothing was
, concealed from them, the thieves pro-
e ceeded to tie gags in the mouths OF
l their victims, and to pinion their
q arms and hands. Further torture In
the tightening Of cords, and removing
f: and replacing the gags, was resorted
q to, to learn, if possible, something
about the money savings of neigh
bOrs. The teeth were knocked out OF
Mr.. Fairbanks mouth, and one of the
girls has the
CORNERS OF HER MOUTH TORN BACK
= into her cheek. Fairbanks was push
ed over upon his bed, and left upon
d his back, while the women were made
F.; to lie upon the floor. The doors were
: fastened as the gang withdrew at
n length, taking the plumber already
enumerated with them. The house
a had been well ransacked before the
Il family were awakened. Two of the
u men who committed the burglary
{, called at the house on Monday, rep
l. resenting themselves as hOrse-buyers
They asked for and received dinner
/ and made themselves so agreeable
Re that during the two hours of theil
G stay they managed to get into all the
: rooms on the first floor without ex
= citing suspicion. Mrs. Fairbanks
recognized them on their return las
e night. She describes one of them a:
II tall, with a black mustache and BLACK
Is hair, prominent Roman nose, anC
e wearing good clothes, low shoes and rec
It stockings. Both had black SLOUGH hats
A boy, who passed the house between
? II and l O'clock last night, saw +;
IL double carriage standing in the rOaC
: near by, and man walking back anC
II fourth, apparently on guard, as sub
1t sequent developments indicate. Attel
II the burglars had left the nouse, Mr.
p Fairbanks succeeded in releasing him
/" self, and at once proceeded to thu
/ house of a neighbOr, twenty rod
IS away, where there had been a wed
ding. The guests had not yet dis
is persed. They fiOcked at once to thu
2. scene of the exciting adventures, anC
Is men accompanied Mr.. Fairbanks il
Is immediate pursuit of the gang.
Governor McEnery.
~ New Orleans Democrat: Samue
- n ATrEuarxr tho nav,y COvaruoT n