The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-08
SENSATIONAL ROBBERY.
BRUTAL TREATMENT OF AN AGED
FARMER AND
His Wife by Burglars Near st. Louis
Over Four Hundred Doll
ars Stolen.

CHICAGO, Ill August The Inter-
Oceans st. Louis, Mo special says: A
robbery { I most sensational charac-
ter was committed last night at vii |
lags on the Illinois and st. Louis rail-
road called Pittsburg, situa sd at the
foot OF the C4hOko bluff, about nine
miles from st. Louis. The victim was
Lawrence Furber, German farmer,
aged AZ years, who owDs one Of the
prettiest farms in the whole county
Furber lives in his home with his vile,
and has no children. He is an indus.
trious and Thrifty farmer, and had
managed to save considerable money,
a portion of which he kept in his
house. 1t was about l O'Clock this
morning that Furb arose for the pur-
pose Of taking a load Of cabbages to
the st. Louis market. HIS wife had
been appraised by him Of his int otioo,
and viii he went to the stable to
hitch up bis team she lit fire in
the stove to prepare him a cup OF
coffee before he took bis departure.
Furber having pitched up the team and
partaken OF the beverage, started OIL
for st. Louis. He had not proceeded
more than 300 yards when four men
sprang out into the road from behind
some shrubbery, and two OF them
grabbed the horses heads, while the
other two placed revolvers at the
frightened farmers temples and coun-
seled him to be quiet. He obeyed,
and one OF The robbers then drew a
rope from his pocket with which he
proceeded TO bind the farmers arms
and feet He was aleo about to put a
curb in Furber's mouth, but changed
his mind and wsrnt d Furber, however,
that II he cried out for help he would
put
BULLET IN HIS HEAD.
One OF the men at the horses heads
thea came back and with his assist
ance the other two then picked Fur
Der up in their arms and carried him
back to the house. The other turned
the tenn and brought the wagon back.
When some shrubbery, which con-
cealed the front of the house from
view, was passed Furber perceived his
wife standing at the door and called to
her ia German. She locked, and see
ing the three men with her husband
between them and another leading the
team, ran into the house, aud taking a
wallet, containing $500, from bureau
drawer threw it underneath a cup
board in the kitchen. Furber was
brought into the house by the high
waymen and laid en- the bed, and the
villains seized Mrs. Furber, who is
close on to 30 years OF age, and by
means of rope pinioned her arms
and limbs and laid her beside her hus
band. 0ne OF them brought in
lamp from the kitchen and by
the light Furber and his wife
saw that there were three men in the
room and were masked. The third
man, the tallest IF the three, wore no
mask, and b 9TH Furber and his wife
think they could identify him again.
TIE fourth robber they did not see,
he having remained outside to keep
watch. The two men with masks had
revo)vers in their hands, and, placing
the muzzle to the heads of the fright
ened farmer and bis wife, demanded
OF them the hiding place Of their
wealth. Both refused to reveal,
aud one OF the Iuffians then seized
J Mrs. Furber by the th,oat and
threa ened 10 choke her to death un-
lees she told him where the money
waJ concealed. Furber tried his best
to loosen his arm and free his wife
from the ruffian's grasps, but
HIS STRUGGLES WE'RE UNAvAILIEG.
Although the robber left the in print
of his fingers on MIS- Furbes's tn oat,
ehe was firm and refused to tell where
the treasure was hid The ROBBERS
then held short cnfe'ence, the re-
ST. OF which was that two Of them
started to ransack the house in search
of the treasure, while the third re.
manned guard over the farmer
AID bis wife. The search Listed nearly
an hour, and thty finally drew forth
from underneath the cupboard, where
Mrs. Fuber lad thrown it, the stock
Ing which Contsine d a great por ion OF
the farmers ssv!ngs. The money was
N o,tIy in greenbacks OF varioJs de-
nominations, few dollars b ing in
silver coin. When they had secursd
the treasure the two robbers joined
iheic companion who was guarding
the victims. The hree teen msde an
exsmiratjo OF the manner in
which their victims were bound
and sat,iying themselves thst
they would have ample time
to escape before either the
farmer or his wife would be able to
loosen tbs bonds they left the house,
Ga the road they were joined by the
fourth robber, and they are supposed
TO have tsken road leading to S..
Louis. After the departure OF the
robbers Furber and his wife workt d
bard TO loosen their bonds, but it wss
fully an hour before Mrs. FurbeI
finally succeeded in getting Que of her
hands free. She then released hel
husband. Furber, on going to the
front door, was surprised to fild that
the robbers had left his team, and by
the advice of his wife he imms diately
drove to French Villsge and sent &
telephone message at oncs 10 Sheriff
Ropequ'er. This afternoon q mar
named Oonroy, who lives near tue
Furber place, was arrested, but thee
seems no good grounds for holding
him,