Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-03-03
SNOWDON DUNHUL.
Good Stories Of This Bold Robbel
of Yorkshire, Eng.

Tho Uousema,d Who stopped at His
House over ;Eht for Safety-Thc VII
| lage Tailur's Experience with
| Mysterious burglars.
Nearly q century ago the inhabitants
of the East Riding of Yorkshire were in
constant dread of the attacks of Snow
don Dunhill, the highwayman and burg
| lar, and his lawlcss associates. Dunhill
lived in a matched cottage on tho road
side, near to IIolmc-on-S palding Moor.
and had confederatcs in nearly all the
market towns and principal villages IN
tho riding. He and many of his asso-
ciates lived entirely on the proceeds Of
their deprodations. Farmers dared not
to return home from the markets except
in companies, and we'll armed for pro-
lection. Dunhill, his wife, his daugh-
| ters and their husbands were all trans
ported for their robbcrics.
1t was the 23d of November. AS the
/ clock struck twelve at noon the twelve
months servitude of both male and fe-
male agricultural servants terminated.
Mary Humblctou, who had been house
maid at Ravcnford Grange, had already
packed up her Exist" and send it off to
"the old house at home" by Reuben
| S1OWCOuc. lut carrier, whose nclNy
wagon performed distance of fully
two and a half miles per hour. Coaches
were then unknown in the neighbour
hood, and the carrier came only once a
week. Having paid hasty visits to her
friends in the village, she bade good
bye" to her master and mistress, and
started { If on her homeward journey, u
! distance of sixteen miles, Her years
oil ;r6t ,l>>
/ had carefully wrapped up in piece of
! prown paper. Turses were then UNI
known, except to the aristocracy.
! Scarcely half of her Journey was &C
complished when the blood-red sun be-
gan to dip beneath the Western horizon
and speedily sank. "A deep orange glow
oversprcad the Western sky, which
gradually changed to the gray twilight,
succeeded by the approaching gloom of
moonlcss November night. She had
heard of tho many robberies and burg
larics committed by the daring Snow
don Dunhill and his fearless gang who in
| tested tho neighborhood. She felt in her
pocket. The precious gu.neas were safe.
The deepening gloom convinced her
that midnight darkness would overtake
hor while still several miles from home.
Almost paralyzed with fear she slack
! ened her pace, every sound in the dis
lance conjuring up the horrifying pict-
ure of "A highwayman rushing from be-
| hind somc hawthorn bush and demand
ing her money. She dared not go
farther, and resolved to ask for nights
lodging at the first house she came to.
"A few hundred yards more brought her
to low, matched cottage on the road
side. She knocked at the door. 1t was
opened by a woman who invited her in.
The cheerful aspect of the interior of
the cottage, like Il magic spoil, dissi-
pated all her fears. Highway robbers
might attack their victims, as no doubt
they would-she was now safe. A
bright, blazing fire lit up tho well-fur-
nished apartment. Two large dogs lay
basking on the hearth. A middle-aged
man sat smoking his pipe in tho ingle
of tho old wido-open fireplace. The
daughters, four young girls, were busy
with tho household work.
Mary told them her whole story;
where she had been Ii ling; that she had
just got her wages, eight guineas; that
she was walking home; that she was be-
nighted, and afraid of being robbed by
highwaymen, and that she had resolved
not to further risk the losing of her
money. They listened attontively to
her story, and the man assured her that
she was welcome and would be perfectly
safe under his roof. for which she
thanked him.
Tho evening was spent in discussing
the gossip of the neighborhood; Mary,
probably through tho horrible dread
which had seized her on the road, fire.
uuently referring to the many robberies
committed by the highwaymen, partic-
ularly naming Snowdon Dunhill, who
was a terror to the whole of the East
Riding. Mary's remarks on this subject
caused smile to light up the counter
ance of her host, while the women
looked on in silence.
A substantial supper was provided,
showing that the host was in much bet
ter circumstances than tho generality
of tho agricultural laborers of the
neighborhood: after which they all re-
tired to rest, Mary feeling grateful for
the kindness of her host and hostess in
protecting her from the dangers cf the
road.
Morning dawned. When Mary came
downstairs she beheld a breakfast-tabaf
with spread equal to that OF many o.
the farm houses. She was told to make
hearty breakfast, as she had Still
many miles to walk. Having done so
she asked: "What have I to pay?' Hel
host, with a pleasantessmile. replied
Nothing, my lass. "a can tell tn,
friends that thou 'iaid' of being
! robbed, so thou Slept all night at Snow
don Dunhill's." Such was the fact.