The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-01
a DARING ROBBERY,
The Home Of Robert Thomson Entered IN
Broad Daylight Mrs, Thomson Bound
Hand and Foot The Baby's In
successful Message Two
Hundred Dollars
Token

The police circles aud the sheriff and bis
| deputies were thrown into high state of
excitement yesterday evening, which was
$50 shared by that part Of the populace to
| whose ears it came by the story Of dar-
! ing robbery, on farm north of town, yes
terday afternoon. The simple, but start
/ ling and undisputable fact that house
| had been boldly entered IN broad daylight,
/ the occupant bound hand and foot and all
[ bus shot, caused many a citizen to feel for
/ his pock and grow warrantablv
! anxious for the safety of his own domicile
! during his absence.
/ Night burglsries, waylaying az midnight
and criminal depredations under the cloak
| OF darkness are not vested with the start
| ling desperation of dare-devilrv that moves
outlaws TO ply their nefarious trade in the
| daytime and within calling distance of
/ stalwart men. The robbery yesterday was
| dramatic in all its points, and but for the
/ Chance misunderstanding of father and
| the infantile obedience of baby, that
might have been an agent of law and
police enlissary, but for a slight mistake,
! there might have been 4 struggle,
perhaps tragedy, or the capture
of the burglars But the baby, in obedi-
ence 10 its father, failed in its mission on
| the very point of accomplishing delicate
piece of detective work and went back to
| its mother, who was bound hand and foot
and Frustrated under the dreadful pres
sure of excitement, where she lay for three
long mortal hours, the victim Of fate.
These are the facts of the thrilling at-
fair. About 3 o'clock yesterday after
noon, on the Ed Drake farm, four miles
northeast Of Wichita, Mr.. Robert Thorn
son and his help were out in the field
shucking corn and loading it into wagon
which was then taken to a crib a few
yards from the house. Mrs. Thomson
was attending to the household duties,
when the door was suddenly dashed open,
two men, unmarked and armed, rushed IN;
one shot rang out and the bullet whiZZed
within an inch of Mrs Thomson's head
and lodged in the wall. Quick as a fash
the ruffians seized Mrs. Thomson and
bound her hands and feet with rope they
had brought for the purpose. Then fol-
lowed close search for the swag while
the woman lay in a comaCose condition
into which she was thrown by the
attack. While the robbers were
going through the house, the 3-year-old
revived by an effort and sent the child out
to its father with the message to come
quick to the house. The baby followed
Instructions. The father by this time had
loaded the wagon full Of corn, had driven
up to the crib and was unloading it, |
when the baby came up to him calling out |
its significant message.
1t will be remem bered that a strong |
southerly wind was blowing. The baby's |
lisp could not pierce the gale The father |
misunderstood and thought the child had !
just wandered away from It's mother and |
sent her back TO the house. she tried /
again and was again ordered back. Sc |
she failed.
Meanwhile the robbers had found 500 |
between the bed-ticks and left the house.
Mrs. Thomson was unable to move and |
for over two hours and a half lay bound,
helpless and at times unconscious. Finally |
Mr.. Thomson came to the house and
found the state affairs were in; his wife
pOwerless; the money gone; and heard
how near he had come to catching the
miScreants in the very act. Word was at
once sent to town and Sheriff Gene and
his deputies left for the scene at once.
Later the chief of police dispatched
three men to the Drake farm.
Mrs. Thomson has no distinct recollec-
ton of the two men, except that they
were unmarked and young and both had
heavy black mustaches. 1t was certainly
a daring robbery and If the perpetrators
can be caught by the officers, the com
muuity viii be thankful, as it would be
most telling example and preventive of
any similar outrage in the future