Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-03-21
A Double Crime.

] The Wholesale produce and cUmmis-
sion store Of Mr. Pur,is. on Delaware
aveLus, near Vine street. was robbed
on The night ofOclober I'm. 1865.
The safe had been opened, apparent
ly by false keys, and upwards Of 90 900
in grrtuhacks were abstracted. A
package Of bonds 10 The amount of S3,.
0oO more rem .intd untouched.
TO clerks. both young men. asual-
Ey Slept in the store. August Y*rke,
bad Geen 10 the employ Vi Mr.. t11rri-
son Purvls about four ears, anil cuje,-
ell Tie c. n6dence Of his empioycr
r m broke S'aron, The other clerk. had
on!v b, Ell recently taken, but the maB-
ner In winch he took hold of the buA-
ness Impressed Mr.. Purvis so much 10
bis 'avOr that he predicted a successful
'uIure for i'm, as very able salesman
md ultimate prominent merchant. Uu
DIR ibis impression lie placed implici
rust III Shaiou, and selecled him as y
companion for Yelkes in the store al
uig bit.
Both Of bese Young men were in Il e
store on the night the robbery occurred;
hut when lie lace was Opened in th,
morning Sharon was missing, and Yer
Ses lay on the floor, near the safe, with
severe cash on The : d of b 3 head.
which lad been bleeding lsofusely,
judging BY the amount tf blood on the
floor.
The unfortunate young man had evi-
deully eDdtavored 10 sIaunch Tie bloed,
for both bis hands were stained, as also
we're his clothes.
BY The disorder 10 the cffice and The
numerous blood stains both Oh the floor
and walls. it was evident that desper-
ate s'rugrl' must have taken place.
1t twss conjecture from this that Sha-
on Lad riovld' d himself with false
keys sDd bad opeDtd The ssfe. wien he
vas surprised by his fellow clert in the
midst OF | j. ok. and dealt Yerkes the
blow pear the t,nplt; then, after a
>tvere struggle between them. Yerkes
fainted from loss Of blood, and Sharon
fed with The booty.
Vsrnoe the detective and a physician
asere at once sent for, aud while D..
Edison attended 10 BIZ patient the detpc-
tive exam ~, d the premises with u.s
usual carefuluess, particularly the Sec
"Dd floor. NJ d. reforming 10 the lower
floor, found thai Yerkes had recov, red
and sat in an armchair, with bandage
around his bead.
We'll, Mr.. Varnoe, what have you
discovered p asked Mr.. Purvls.
i fDd that the rohber has been 10
he seCouo floor, r. phi, the detective;
be ! as possibly taken some valuable>
nom tbele as ~ell.'
The merchant hast ened upstairs. hui
pies' pity returned, saying nothing had
teen disturbed or removed as far as he
could s,e.
Whatever bis object could have
been. l an positive that he visIt' d the
second fl ior af.er The bloody struggle
ad taken place.
Then Yelkes gave the following ac-
count
He awoke suddenly and found tha'
Sharon had left the bed. and fearing
hat some misbap had 'yertsken him
ne lit parsffiue candle by small gas.
jet in the room and began to search for
his bed.fellJw. tn
Not finding him on the second floor.
he descended 10 the first Hoor, and
fouud him in iioDi Of the opeu safe.
They saw each other at The same time
aud Sharon wac spell-bonud at being
discovered 10 his oriIniUal act. The.
lie struggle began. the result OF which
as so plauly evident. Sharon beinI
the stronger OF the two soon cgerpov-
cred bis opponent, aud threw him 81
violently Oh the floor that that he be
cam' utterly insen-ibe. t-
Varpoe listened with wrapt attention
to the end, then made o few notes in
| mis- book, after which he walked out Of
the store with his eyes bent on tbe floor
before hlm Until he reached the stieet;
taeu. af er casting his eyes searchiugl,
arou, d on The GROUND, he walked over
TO the dock and psze,l for q few mo.
meuls in lhoughlful manner. Wheu
In, returned 10 tie Store aud joined lh
OILERS III the Office, it was With grave
coun,eDsDce. '+ f
Mr.. Paryis, the robber has eyldeni J.,
escaped BY tie way Jftbe river, as tre
blood tracks rssch TO the doyk.'
AN e,,s were now directed sowsre
tie ounded man. who. mad suddeul /,
| grow u very pale. He opened bis 'nodsb
Jas il 70 say something, but fell back / .