Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-01-20
BOLD ROBBERY.
Daring Midnight Raid by Five Armed
Crack
January &c.

| Last Wednesday night daring rob-
berry was committed at the country store
of Fl. Moldenhauer & Son in the town of
Lebanon, six miles northeast of this city.
Henry r. Moldenhauer. the partner OF
his father in the business resides over the
store, his family consisting of his wife,
two young children and hired girl. AT
ii o'clock loud demonstrations were heard
at the side door which is. reached by an
outside stairs, but before Mr. Modem
bauer, who had been asleep, could reach
the door, five armed men burst it opon,
each one of them holding a cooked
revolver and disguised with handker-
chiefs over their faces and scarfs around
their necks. One of the gang watched
at the door while the other four proceed
ed to the work of getting the family
| together in Mr. and Mrs Moldenhauer's
bedroom. The robbers then interviewed
Mr. NJ. about his money and Mrs. M.
lifting up the pillows of the bed, disclosed
to the robbers a bundle of greenbacks
and coin amounting to nearly $500 and
told them there was all the money they
had The leader of the gang remarked
| they had reason to believe there was
more money to be had somewhere on the
premises and said that if Mr.. Modem
hauer resisted in the least or hesitated
about giving up the money he and his
associates would use extreme measures.
Mr. M. pleaded with them and said he
could prove by his books down stairs that
he had no more money on hand. Mr.
NJ accompanied three Of the robbers
down stairs, the fourth staying in the
bedroom, pistol being held at his head
ali the while. The safe was opened for
the robbers but it contained no money.
They, however, obtained a small amount
of change from the money drawer, and
although Il had been changed from one
! side of the store to the other within a
few days, the robbers seemed to be aware
of its exact location, indicating famili-
arity with the premises that seemed rath-
err significant. From the books and
surroundings they appeared to be partly
satisfied that there was no more money
to be had The Lebanon post Office is
kept in the Moldenhauer store and the
next demand of the burglars was for
registered letters but they were told there
were none. The robbers revenged them
selves for this Disappointment by throwing
the mail matter and postage stamps upon
the aoor and stamping unon them. After
getting what they wanted in the store
the burglars returned up stairs with Mr.
NJ, still holding their pistols ready to
shoot, and then demanded Mrs. Modem
hauer's jewelry which was given them.
Four dollars in money and a POCKET book,
a keepsake from Mr.. Ms first wife, the
burglars showed no compunction about
appropriating to their own use. Having
satisfied their pillaging desire they
then suggested among themselves to gag
the family and tie them to their beds to
prevent alarm, being prepared with ropes
to do this cruel work For the sake of
her infant child Mrs. Moldenhauer be-
sought The villains not to subject herself
and husband TO this painful treatment.
They finally yielded this point, although
reluctantly, but when they left they
locked Mr.. NJ and the entire family in
the bedroom, using the precaution of
taking everything out of the apartment
that could be used to open or break down
the door, and even carried out all the
clothes of the inmates. The robbers next
proceeded to the barn, and hitching a
team to pair of hobs took their depart
ure, the whole raid occupying about an
hour. Thursday morning the sleigh and
team were found in the road at the farm
OF H. Stark, in Lebanon, about 5 miles
from here. Both horses were living in a
ditch, one on top OF the other, tangled up
in the harness, and nearly dead. 1t is
supposed that the team was driven to the
city line and then abandoned. There is
thus far no clew to the perpetrators of
this crime. The theory is now quite we'll
established that the robbers expected to
find the Lebanon town treasurer's funds
in the store safe amounting to some
$4,000. This is why the burglars express.
ed so much disappointment at the small
+ amount of booty they obtained and why
they were so persistent in refusing to
believe that Mr.. Moldenhauer was hand
ing over all the money in his possession
: when he gave them merely $780,
@. Mass, the Lebanon town treasurer,
has collected the tax this year at the
Moldenhauer store. He completed his
collections for the season Wednesday but