Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-03-06
FIGHTING WITH BURGLARS.
TWO Victorious Encounters with
Mignight Marauders.
ADVENTURE no. /.

SftionS that served to marrow up my Souis
freeze my young blood, " and turned my nalr
as gray as rats before my fortieth nirtn-
day.
ihad been hired, when q small lad, as an
under-clerk Or apprentice In a wholesale
hardware store in New York After sew
eral years service, during which gained
good practical knowledge OF the business
ana gradual promotion, became the: head
salesman and enjoyed the fullest confidence
OF my employers
Twas nearly tweuty years OF age when
the adventure which am about to relate oc-
CURED. The werk Of my early apprentice
sAip had enlar2ed and strengthened my
muscular system, my health was atlts oest
and as I had never been exposed TO peru l
knew but little of the sensation OF fear.
For MANY years I had slept alone in the
Store Every evening the doors and win
devps IN the rear were protected win
heavy iron shutters, swung from outside
and strongly barred and belted inside; the
batchways leading 10 the cellar aud second
noor were securely covered and fastened;
! one of the massive wooden front doors was
bolted at the top and bottom, whfae the
other was only carefully locked, and the
| hey was seldom removed. !!
NY bed occupied corner Of the counting
room, midway between the front and rear
Of thestore Upon retiring always turned
on all the gas, for, if necessary, could,
from long familiarity with the store and IT'S
contents, make my way safely about All
parts of it in the most profound darkness
In all my mercantile hfe the premises
! had never been beset by burglars, and, in
deed, the store was 50 carefully closed
and guarded against intruders that 1t was
deemed mvulneFabie-
One night was suddenly awakened by
some noise that seemed 10 come from out
side of the store AS raised myself in
bed to listen I heard q neighboring city
clock strike two. When its vibrations
ceased, ] felt sure that something was
wrong at the front door. There seemed to
De saw and other sharp implements in
operation. Thus impressed, quietly rose,
dressed, and made my way in the dark to
the front.
Listening for few seconds, / could hear
faint whispers, and then the sound Of
small saw. Then I knew that burglars
were cutting hole in the door, in order
that the key might be reached and turned.
From marks discovered ON the key, during
q subsequent examination, it was evident
that they had tried to turn it with nippers,
but it was too cumbrous, and the effort had
been abandoned.
could have frightened away the in
| ny U1dhlDS q nOfoO oho
the gas, but wished, if possible, to thwart
their purpose in another manner, and
capture one of the marauders. With this
intention l cautiously crept to package
of stout bed-cords, one of which l seized,
and returned to the door. In the end OF
the cord made an easy-running moose, and
strongly fastened the blight to the leg of a
neighboring counter that supported heavy
boxes Of tin-plate.
Then carefully held the moose around the
place where the burglars were cutting the
hole. After waiting few minutes, heard
them remove the piece of wood which they
had sawed out. The light OF bups-eye
lantern flashed for an instant at the aper-
ture, sufficiently to reveal it's outline and
enable me to adjust the moose. Then man s
arm was thrust through the hole.
This was the opportunity for which l had
waited. A quick and vigorous movement
drew the moose tightly around the Fellow
wrist, and then hauled on the cord with
all my strength until had pulled the arm
through the hole as far as could, notwith-
standing the opposition manifested by It's
owner.
There was no noise, although the fellow
was undoubtedly in great pain; and when l
had firmly secured the cord to the counter l
felt along it until l touched the arm, and
opening almost to the shoulder.
Twas not in the least frightened. had
one of the burglars a prisoner, and knew
that the others would not long remain with
him. On the whole, was rather pleasant
ly excited, and quite exultant over my sue
cess.
Slipping on my shoes, / lighted three or
foar gas Jets, unfastened back door and
shouted down the alley for policeman AS
soon as he came I let him inside OF the store,
and then we began to reconnoiter and as
certain the status of affairs at the front.
The arm was still there, of course-I should
have been exceedingly astonished If it had
disappeared. The cord was tightly drawn
around the wrist, aud the hand was black,
owing TO the stoppage of the circulation oil
the blood.
The policeman then returned to the alley
and made his way to the front, picking up
another officer on the street to assist him.
Presently heard them shouting TO me that
the burglar was dead that his companions,
finding it impossible to release him, and
fearful that he would expose them to the
authorities, had cut his throat from ear to
ear.
was Young and unused to dreadful acts
like this, and the unexpected denouement
not only astonished me, but so shocked my
nerves that nearly tainted. The return OF
the policemen TO aid me in loosening the
arm and open the front door partially re
stored me; but after the dead burglar had
been removed and the doors were securely
refastened could do nothing but walk the
floor in great nervous distress until it was
time to open the store for business in the
morning.
Then. when the clerks arrived, and had
related nv adventure to them, / was fair
to 60 home and avoid the excitement that
knew would distract me if remained K
answer the thousand questions that would
be asked of me.
had only one satisfaction, but it was Ont
that lad of my age could thoroughly en-
joy. / was hero. The police, the press
and the pubic freely expressed their ad
mIration for the coolness and bravery hat
manifested in capturing the burglar, ant
, the sympathy and hearty congrstulationi
Of personal friends soon restored me Il
: comparative qufetude-
But the best of all was the kind consider
I alton which I received from my employers
, They were very profuse in the expression
Of their esteem. They had sent for the DO
iceman who assisted me, and he had tols
the story of the burglary in such manne
as to give me the sole credit of the capture
I The result was a magnificent gift and
fortnights leave of absence to recruit N,
shaken nerves.
, ADVENTURE 40. g
Two years later was sent to Savannah
Ga, by my employers to open and manage
branch store in that city.
, ! was yet unmarried. The store had
: bedroom in the rear, adjoining the office
, and there i lodged. In it was one larg
/ window, which opened upon an alley, as did
also, the rear door of the store, in the ad
I joining entry. At night all the doors wer
locked and barred The bedroom Vvindoy
had tight, heavy outside shutter, made O
: boards and battened, which could clos
and faSten inside The window sill Jvitl