The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-12-08
WOMEN OF NERVE.
A THRILLING MIDNIGHT STRUGGLE WIFI A
BURGLAR WHO Is SOLDIER

A THRILLING NIDSleHT sTRUeeLK WITH A
BURGLAR WHO Is A SOLDIER
The old Sulhomesteaa. at ThrogF's Neck,
! Westehester county, y. 7. now the hone OF
A. NJ. Crosby, was broken Into on Friday
just before midnight by q man, who fright
ened all the inmates and severely assaulted
Mrs. Crosby. The house is large and
roomy two-story frame building standing
two hundred feet back from the road. The
stables and the house for the coachnan and
farm hands are about the same distanes in
the rear. Mr.. Crosby is seldom at home, and
when he Is absent the house Is deserted ut
night by everybody save Mu Crosby, hsr
Eve children and the women servants Lieu,
big msstIfi, is the only protector they have.
The fastsninRs Of the house have been
thought strong and secure, however and ths
inmates haye not felt any alarm.
On Friday night Mrs. Crosby went 70 bsd
about IL 80. having secured. as she thought,
all doors and blinds. In about nftseR min
utes she was aroused BY the ringing OF the
front door bell. She opened her bsd-foou
window and asked who was there. For some
time there was no answer, but finally = nau's
voice replied that be wanted to get In. kr
Crosby ordered him away. but his only reply
WAS.
You'll rue it II you don't open that door ).
Mrs. Crosby and the nurse Girl who wa
with her then called for help and rang bell
out OF the window. The children By this
time became aroused and screamed IN q
frightened way, and Lion barked. but all 70
no purpose. No help came The man then
went around 10 the back OF the house, whsrs
there is = small conservatory, and breakinFa
pane Of glass with bis hand was able 10 IN
lock the door from the inside Here he
seized a box containing = eroquet set and
tried TO force open the back door OF the house
with It, but In this he failed. BE then tried
window TO the left Of the door and found
that it had not been securely fastened. As
he entered the house Lion sprang at him and
rolled him over, but the children, with whom
the dog is q great pet, called franticslly for
Lion, and the dog left the intruder to give
his protection TO them.
The man then rushed mp stairr. A few
steps from the top the nurse met him aud
struck him such q blow in the neck with q
cane that he was staggered for moment and
the cane fell broken At his feet. The nurse
then ran into the nursery and locked tie
BE at once forced his way into the room
Mrs. Crosby had BY this time secured gun,
which, however, was not loaded, and shs
confronted him.
You take care Of the children, Maria,
said She, "and I'll look after him"
In an instant she raised the gun and struek
At the man so that the stock was broken. but
be closed with her and threw her down.
Their the little boy "Willie," about seven
years old. came 70 his mothers sssistanos,
and msnfully kicked and fought the man
until his mother got mp again. The intruder
then seized Mrs.. Crosby, with one hand part
ly on her mouth, her right ear and on her
neck, and threw Der n secopd time. But
pulling him down after her, she caught him
up bodily. and pushed and threw him down
stairs. When he reached the bottom and had
picked himself up he hed incoutInently At the
sight OF Ms. Crosby coming down stairs
with = pistol In her hand. More shouting
and bell rigging finally brought the gardener
ana the coachman to tbe house, but too late
10 render any Sssistance. When she BAD
recovered from her fright. Mrs. Crosby dis.
covered that her neck bore cruel finger
marks the nail had been torn tron one o.
her little fingers, and that she vas otherwise
very much bruised.
On saturday morning q constable was
called Mrs. Crosby described her ssstlient
As = tall young man, with black hair. = mus
taehe, and side whiskers, a. vel as she eouid
remember. A man named Pat Burns va
suspected, but when brought before Mn.
Crosby she said he certainly was not the
man. Later. Lion was discovered playing
with soldiers cap, ard the suspicion fol-
lowed that Mrs Crosby's assallant vaa q
soldier. General jackson, commanding at
Fort Schuyler, was seen, and be made inqui-
res which seemed 10 implicAte one OF his
sOldiers- Two men were taken 10 Mn
Crosby yesterday and she instantly pointed
out one OF them ~ her assailant he had q
mark on bis neck that might have been in
hicted by the nurses cane, bis eye wHs
blaeked and bis hand cut and scratched, aa
II from the glass Of q broken window. he
will be arrested on . warrant Mrs. Crosby
said TO . reporter last night: 1T waS good
thing for the fellow that my pistol Was not
loaded, for should surely have shot him had
1t been. Nothing was stolen from the
house.