The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-07
Burglary.

A bold and daring burglary took
place Sunday morning between and
3 o'clock at the large store of w. b.
Walker, on Cedar street, near the Cen
trail depot. The store building is COM
posed of several departments, and in
one of these young gentleman by
the name of r. w. Hunt sleeps, he
being clerk in the store. The first he
remembers was being awakened, and
seeing three men standing immedi-
ately over him, each having a drawn
revolver presented at his head. He did
not seem to realize the dangerous
position he was in and just as soon
as he saw the revolver of the bur-
gler, who was standing at his side, he
struck his arm and knocked the
weapon to one side. AT this time some
slight scuffling took place but no effort
was made to take his life, He was
then asked to open the safe, but told
them he had only been in the store a
short time and was not acquainted
with the combination and could not
open it and if they wanted to kill him
for not opening it they would have to
do so. When the burglars ascertained
this fact they began aproceSS of tying,
and with about 1orty or fifty feet of
small rope tied his hands and feet
securely. His hands were tied behind
his back and the rope placed around
his neck and his hands drawn up until
it became very painful. Then his feet
were fastened, after which two of the
burglars went to the safe, while the
third kept watch over their victim.
A hole was drilled into the safe about
three-eights of an inch in diameter and
nnNU1nr or nf avnlncir-n int
duced, books having been placed in
front of the safe to catch the door as
it fell.
The safe is total wreck, the whole
lining of it's door being blown off.
There were between $4OO and $3.50 in
cash taken, and from 5000 to $500
worth of checks on Raymond & Co.'s
bank of this city. Mr.. Walker stated
to a STATESMAN representative that
he is very sure one of the parties is
man who came into his store Satur-
day afternoon to purchase a trunk,
and after considerable Loo ing around
could find nothing to suit him, and
went out. He thinks that this man
in some way entered the store that
evening and concealed himself, so that
when the proper time came he could
W IL OhO OOOl duo d lOW 1lo
accomplices to enter. The doors are
very insecurity fastened anyway, but
no indication of breaking the door
was seen. Several tools were found
in the store and at the door that were
brought by the burglars to effect and
overcome any hindrances that might
come in their way. Among these
tools were found carpenters bit and
hr0nn cnuQro1 0h;Snlc ntn Mr. Ilun%
states that he was very carefully
watched by one of the burglars, and at
different times he was turned with
his face to the wall so that he could
not see and be able to identify the
parties. AT one time they threatened
to chloroform him, but he begged
them not to do so; but to
do whatever else they saw fit. All
the time they were in the store, they
were cursing among themselves and
seemed very much dissatisfied about
something. After many questions
with reference to trains and to par
ties living near, and threat of vio-
lence in case any noise was made be-
fore daylight by Mr.. Hunt, they re-
tired from the store, leaving Mr.. Hunt
still fastened securely. About 3
o'clock the clerk managed to release
his feet slightly, and walked a few
steps to the window and called to a
man in an adjoining yard to
come and unite him. A light of
a glass was broken out of the window
and Mr.. Hunt sat down on the window |
casing while the gentlemen from the
outide unbound him. 1t was no I'M
professionals that did this work, every |
thing was done quickly so that the |
noise was not heard by any person
living in that vicinity. Mr.. Hunt re-
ceived no injury only some Sights |
marks where the rope bound his wrist |
but he says he does not enjoy any in
trusions of that nature and although |
he sleeps with two large revolvers
under his pillow they were of no use
to him on that occasion. He could |
hear all the work going on about him,
but was perfectly powerless to act |
The safe was supposed to be burglar
proof, but the time occupied in drilling
was not more than ten or fifteen min |
utes. Mr.. Hunt cannot positively |
identify any of the men, but thinks he
could recognize the voice of one should |
he hear it again.