The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-28
Fighting Away Thieves.

TEEN BRAVE FARMERS REFUSED A BAND
OF DETERMINED MARAUDERS IN THE VII
LACE OF HEREFORDvILLE-THE RUFFIANS
COMPELLED TO RETREAT.
READING, July 26.-The full details OF
sanguinary battle with gang OF at least
dozen determined thieves have been re-
ceived here from the small village OF Here
fordyille, in the eastern section OF Berks.
The fight with guns and pistols at the dead
hour OF night lasted several hours, and re-
suited in the wounding OF several OF the
farmers who were engaged in driving
off the intruders. The object OF the
thieves was to rob rich farmer
named Memo D. Clemmer, residing
a few miles from Claytonville. The
thieves first made their appearance on
Monday night and surrounded the house.
They came in large wagon, and it is sup
posed they are strangers who were en-
camped in the hills near Perryville. Sew
eral attempts were made TO enter the house
by battering down the heavy oaken doors,
but Mr.. Clemmer aroused the neighbors
by sharp firing at the thieves, and they dis
appeared. Apparently they were unarm-
ed, because they did not return the fire,
and it is now supposed that they had not
PREPARING FOR THE THIEVES.
Mr.. Clemmer yesterday was impressed
with the idea that the thieves would make
q second attack, and he succeeded in get
ting a number Of neighbors in the house
early last evening. The neighbors were
Jacob Meyer, David q. Clemmer, James
b. Funk, Edward Klutz, James Henry,
William Wiegner, Nathan Winner, William
Gaulman, William Geisler, n. &. Clemmer,
Christian Clemmer, and JosepEus Gerhard.
These parties were fully armed with guns,
pistols, and rifles, and were quartered on
the ground floor and stationed at the win
dows IN the upper stories. About IL
O'Clock noise was heard on the outside
and two men halted in front OF the house,
apparently wearing black masks. They
were observed accommodating about the
/ front, and few minutes later three more
strangers appeared.
FIGHTING FOR AN HOUR.
| Closely following themiwere three more,
and finally four others arrived, making q
dozen in all. Their team must have been
tied some distance away, as ii was not seen
near the house. The thieves advanced TO-
wards the rear part OF the house, but before
they reached the house the farmers inside
opened the doors, rushed out and dis
charged a volley at the thieves. Sharp
cries OF agony and pain followed, but none
OF them dropped. The thieves fell back to
the road and retuned the fire, wounding
William Gaulman in the arm with bali
from revolver. The farmers were led by
Jacob Meyer, and they fought with a
will. VOlley after volley was fred at a
distance Of twenty yards at the slowly re-
treating marauders, and the firing was
brskly returned. Bullets whistled by freely,
but as they were from revolyers the aim
was unsteady. During the third round
James Henry was struck in the left Shout
der, iniiicting but slight flesh wound.
The night was quite dark and the farmers
kept well together and fired low. After at
least one hours fight one OF the thieves, ap-
parently the leader OF the gang. shouted
that II the firing did not cease they would
burn down every stable, barn, and house
on the place. Ammunition being exhaust
ed, the farmers fell back to Clemmer's
house. 1t was also feared that the thieves
might have separated aud returned to the
house by flank movement and robbed the
premises. 1t Is supposed the thieves re-
treated IN their wagon, although two sus-
plci0us characters were seen in the neigh
borho0d to-day. II is also believed that
several OF them were badly wounded and
were taken away in that condition.