The sun., 1890-01-16
HANDCUFFRD By ROBBERS.
Mrs. Harder Forced to SIT In Silence while
hor House Is Robbed,

hor House is Robbed.
Mrs. Eliza Harder was at work In the
kitchen OF her home. II Porter street, Jersey
City. about TX O'Clock yesterday morning,
when she heard o knock at the street door.
She found two men there. They were between
28 and 80 years old, of medium height and
build, and were fashionably dressed. Ono
wore O light overcoat Both carried gold
headed umbrellas They said they thought Of
buVing the house. and that MIR. HowellR. the
landlord. had sent them to look through II.
Mrs. Harder told them she did not have her
houseWork finished. and asked them to call
later. "Housework don't makeRany differ
ence," said ono Of the men. and they both
stepped in and shut the door behind them
When Mrs. Harder had shown them through
the lower floor one Of the men said suddenly.
Have you got piece of rope% Mrs. Harder
said she hadn't.
mot even O clothes line ?" asked the man.
Mrs. Harder didn't have clothes line, but
she hunted around and found piece Of k-inoh
tWine. which she gave to the man.
"Sit down In that chair" he commanded her
when he got the twine. His voice and manner
changed ard Mrs. Harder was so frightened
that she oboyed at once. The man took one OF
her hands in his and held 1t while his compan-
ion knotted the twine tightly around her wrist.
She told him he hurt her. He said he didn't
care and told her to shut up. When he had
wound the twine around her wrist half O
dozen times he took the other hand and wound
the other end OF the twine around the other
wrist. Then he took pair OF handcufIs from
his pocket and put them on her wrists. At the
same time he told her he didn't intend to do
her any harm unless she made an outcry. then
he would kill herl =,
Mrs. Harder told him she had only 81. and
that was in cup in the closet He went to th9
% had one " corner torn on In the mean time the
other man searched her clothing for her pock-
etbook. She told him she had none.
The men searched all through the lower part
of the house. and then said they guessed they
There Is u man asleep up there" said Mrs.
Harder. hoping to brighten them,
So much the better. We will 90 through
They warned her to keep perfectly quiet
while they were gone. and left her alone in the
or even scream. The men We're up stairs
about fifteen minutes. They dumped the con-
tents of the drawers OF two bureaus on tho
beds There was gold watch and other
jewelry on one o the bureaus but they did.not
only. When they got down stairs again one OF
them said to Mrs. Harder: What did you
want to lie US for There waRt ar any mHa n
about the money. Tell US where it is now. or
wel kill you"
Mrs. Harder was sure she was going to be
killed. for she had no money. and told them so.
They made another search through the down.
stairs rooms. and then said they guessed they
would have to be going: They TOOK the hand
cuffs off Mrs, Harders wrists. but not the
twine. and told her that II she moved III less
than half an hour she would be sorry for 1t.
They took the keys OF the two doors and went
out locking the side door behind them and
throwing the key away in an alley. Mrs.
Harder sat motionless in the chair whore they
left, her. she thought, two hours. 1t was i9
reality only fifteen minutes. Then she rushed
had happened. The groceryman sent for
one OF her sons, who works on the
Erie Railroad: and Mrs. Harder STAYED
at the store until he arrived and went home
with her. The Groceryman cut the twine, from
her wrists Word was sent to Police Head
quarters. Three detectives failed to discover
any clue to the robbers. Mrs. Harder told O re-
porter OF The SUN her experience last night.
She showed her swollen wrists to show how
tightly the twine had been tied. She is j9
years old Her three sons live with her. and
were home when the reporter called. One OF
them got his months wages Tuesday, and he
thought that the robbers knew IT, and were
looking for the money. Mrs. Harder says she
thinks she has seen one OF the mon in the Vie
cinitY before.