Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-07
ApEsPERArE ENoouNrER.
Colonel G. W. Anderson Grapples with
a Bold RObber in the Dark.

a Bold RObber in the Dark.
A desperate encounter took place in the
residence of Hon. W. ;. Chisholm, corner
of CASTOR and Whitaker streets, between
ten and eleven O'Clock last night, between
Col. c. W. Anderson and supposed
robber, who had entered and concealed
himself on the premises. During the
absence Of Judge Chisholm in the North
the residence is occupied by Col Ander-
son. Last night, after spending the even
inc in the lower part Of the house,
Colonel Anderson retired TO his room on
the third floor. facing the Park. While
making nreparations to retire a noise
coming from a room on the north
side of the house attracted his
attention. After listening moment
he determined to investigate the
matter. and, taking his revolver, a
heavy 3S-calibre Smith & WessOn, and
some matches, he opened the door leading
into the hallway. and feeling his way
along reached the head of the stairs, When
he became conscious of the presence of
another person. Almost at the moment
he felt a whiz through the air as II struck
at and missed by a missile, and crash
followed. Colonel Anderson at the
instant grappled with his adversary,
whom he recognized as a man far supe-
rior In physical strength to himself,
and seized him at the throat
with his left hand sinking his fingers
INTO the flesh. He held his revolver in
the other hand. and in bringing 1t against
his antagonist to ire was seized at the
throat. The villain failed to make good ms
hold. but tore loose his collar and tie and
made desperate attempt 70 secure tne
DistOl. In the struggle Colonel Ander-
son fired and the robber broke
from his grasp and jumped for the
stairs. He was closely followed by
Col. Anderson. who fired rapidly in the
dark. emptying the five chambers OF his
weapon. At the foot of the first flight of
stairs he again caught him by the
shoulders, but being below, and a
powerful man, the rascal again broke
away and rushed TO the lower moor
through the dining room and out OF a Win
dow opening upon piazza and escaped.
Policeman Reid, who was on duty IN the
Park, hearing the report of the shoot
Ing. came to the rescue. A cOlOred man,
named Scipio Herb, in the employ of the
Water Works Company, who was near
by on Whitaker street, also came upon
the scene.
An examination of the premises showed
that the window through which the rob-
Der escaped had been opened either by
1870
ing from the main hallway to the ground
floor. which the butler, young cOlOred
man. claimed to have locked, was also
found open, On going up the stairs to
the place where the encounter first Oc-
CURED. a heavy walnut chair was found
broken into pieces. 1t was this that the
rObber had seized aud which he hurled at
Col. Anderson. Fortunately he missed his
mark, and the chair was brought down
with tremendous force upon solid ban
lister. smashing it in pieces.
On going further along the hall into the
room where the noise was first heard a
rocking char was found lying upon the
floor. 1t was the Upsetting OF this that
probably caused the noise.
From all appearances the villain had
secured admission to the premises some
time during the day in the absence OF the
servant. who. besides Col. Ander-
son. is the only occupant of the
house. and concealed himself in
the room, and at the time of his
discovery was either preparing to attack
Colonel A.. or to ransack the house and
carry off what plumber he could get into
his possession. In the dark 1t was i'm
possible to determine whether he was
white or cOlOred, but he was powerfully
built and desperate man to encounter.
The affair was well planned, but the
cool courage of Colonel Anderson frus-
trated the carrying out of the designs,
whatever they were. This is the
second time a similar robbery has been
attempted at Judge ChishOlm's residence,
the other being about three years ago,
when the rObber escaped through the
same window.