New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-26
MATCH FOR TWO THIEVES
VOTING BALrIMoREANs PLU0kf FIGHT
IN THE DARK.
e,n THIEVES rscsrn AFTER A HAsD.r0-nASl
art WITHOUT ANY PLUMBER
SAVED BY NOTEBOOK
.c,.yH TO THE rRIBUNE-y



I ,uc o5-Tvo thieves, while plum
s..;nr the elegant house OF james " p"oes' a
nerlns nt merchant. in Park-ave., at o'clock
promn p.-r;ng were surprised by his son, Fred.
,,a.ss a voung man Of twenty years, and deS-
20, - s,rugcle in which knives and pistols were
"a took Mace in the music-room. The young
t.,he, and the rest of the family are at
csne Nav. The house during their absence is
- oocnnied nv Fred. Bates and two female
'ervants. The latter sleep in the back part OF
~ Lorse Ahout this morning Mr.. Bates,
who occupies a third-story front room, was awak-
.nod NV a noise downstairs. He lay still a few
nomcnts and distinctly heard some one rafting
With the silver in the dining-room. Picking up
a9-calibre Smith d Wesson revolver, he groped
his wav downstairs to the dining-room. To reach
II he passed through the music-room, which Is
senarated from the dining-room by cloth screen
In the dark room Mr.. Bates could Just
make out the outlines Of man
,,ant over the table. Without
yelsy he shot at the fellow, but hardly
had the pistol gone of when he heard cnair
being unset behind him. lie wheeled about just
in time TO receive on his right shoulder gaSh
with knife. A morocco notebook in hls preasI
pocket. one.ouarter inch thick, saved the young
mans life. The cut was inflicted by another
man whose presence was luckily revealed oy
his upsetting the chair while sneaking toward MS
intended victim The man handled his sharp
weapon adroitly and gave young Bates two moro
cuts. extending from the right shoulder oo"n
TO the breast He also slashed him twice IN uhe
left breast and once above the heart, breaking 'he
skin. In the meantime he grabbed Mr. bstes
revolver but the plucky young man. una 9 +ho
pun the trigger pulled the hammeTii an" 'n'
second shot went off, missing hls asStldnts. =.
Bates then grappled with the thlei anu uIeu 40 ~
wrest the knife from him. They lougho pnS III ulis
aark for several minutes. Finally the knlle uropPu
10 the foor and the burglar darted tnrougn
aow carrying the glass with him. Just as D,1eS NJ
raised his pistol for another shot. men vi VI
Bates ran TO the front door and hreu IhIee IlIncs
for assistance. The first TO come was D. W. oohn-
SON a private watchman, who had been s!uthg on
the doorstep of the next house eating ms Iuhch;
Other officers soon appeared, but the burglars nad
fed and have not left trace behind them. Inc
nfioers found that there two or three rODDefs
and that they had forced their entrance through
shutter into the kitchen. The cuts In Mr.. Iates's
soat. seven in all and from four TO eight inches
long were inflicted either with large butcher
knife or razor. Mr.. Bates was saved from death
onIv by notebook which he had in the right
breast pocket of his coat. The razor had cut half
through the book Mr. Bates was cool and self
Dossessed and but for the darkness IL would have
Jared ill with the robbers. The thieves evidently
thought the house was unoccupied. lhey had
hacked in baskets several thousand dollars worth
of silverware and other valuables, which they had
to leave behind in their fight for their lives