Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-10-18
THREE YOUNG MEN
WITH MASKED FACES AND DRAWN
REVOlVeRS, NEAR CHICAGO,
Going Through" the House Of Wealthy
Farmer-Smal Pay for their Pains
$2,245 Remain in the House
Undiscoyered-A Cruel
and Painful Gag.
THE ROBBERS PROBABLY ARRESTED.
MASKED ROBBERS
Plying Their Villsinous Work Near Chi
oapo.

Plying Their Villsinous Work Near Chi
ergo. Ill.
CHICAGO, October H.-Late last night
particulars were. received of a robbery
which, for boldness of execution, is on
par with the recent remarkable burglary
of the Fairbank farm house in Dupage
county. The scene was a small frame
house on the edge OF cabbage patch al
the corner OF Thirty-sixth street and
Ashland Avenue, locality nearly six
miles from the centre Of the city. The
house is the residence OF well to.do
farmer named Peter Platt, whose house
hold consists OF daughter OF nineteen
years, a son OF fourteen years and a
hired man, greenhorn German, una
BILE to speak English. The location is
isolated. even for that section OF the
city, the nearest house being nearly two
squares away.
Shortly after seven o'clock last even
ing Miss Platt went out to visit a rela-
tive, and at 7:30 the family were sur
prised by three young men, whose faces
were concealed up to the eyes with silk
handkerchiefs, rushing in upon them
through the rear door OF the house,
which opens into the cabbage. patch
They presented reyolvers at the heads
OF the inmates and ordered them to
make no noise under penalty OF death.
Two OF them Immediately seized Mr..
Platt, and, after gagging him, bound
him hand and foot with stout cords,
The boy and hired man we're simply
tied; but while the house was being ram
sacked one OF the trio stood guard over
them with a cooked revolver, and
neither OF them made any outcry. No
violence was offered Mr.. Platt or the
others, and no attempt was made to in.
timidate him into disclosing the where
abouts OF his cash. Beds and bedding
and articles OF furniture were torn or
broken in shreds and no nook or Granny
escaped scrutiny. In bureau they
found $50 in cash, and in Mr.. Platt's pan
falcons pockets about S., and with this
small amount of plumber they finally
went off cursing their luck. They were
in the house not more than fifteen min
utes, and seemed anxious to get away
as quickly as possible, which gives the
impression that they were new and in
experienced in the business.
When they had been gone only few
minutes, the boy succeeded in extricat'
ing his hand, and after fully releasing
himself, released the father and hired
man in turn. The gag used upon Mr..
Platt proved 10 be very cruel contriV-
anoe- l. H. blOOh uOvut tUur
inches long and bungling in the middle,
and was 80 tightly fastened in his mouth
that it bruised and larcerated the lips,
cheeks and tongue in painful manner
Miss Platt returned shortly after this
and gave her parent new heart by CO.
ing to her work-bssket, watch was lying
on the floor, and taking one one.thou-
sand-dollar bill, two five-hundred'dollar
bills, two one. ne.hundred-dollar bills,
and nine five dollar bills, which she had
drawn out OF the bank at her fathers
request Friday forenoon. Mr.. Platt up
to this time was sure that the robbers
had found this money. Officers
Enright aud Jones, OF the Deering
street Station, were within two
blocks OF the house when the robbery
occurred, but. as no outcry was made
they knew nothing OF it until called to
the house. The thieves avoided them
by approaching the house through the
c1bbage garden, and they probably left
is by the same route. Both officers
busted themselves at once in running in
all the suspicious characters whom they
found in the neighborhood, and consider
it possible that the right ones are among
the number.