Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-01-07
SEARCHING AT NIGHT.
POLICEMAN HAVE TO LOOK FOR
BURGLARS IN CITY HOUSES.

Timid People Whom Any Unwonted !
Sound Sets TO Shouting "Police!"
elp"'-Trying ordeals for the Daring
Patrolnen-A Job Not Relished.
Judging from their own expressions, po-
licemen are seldom called upon to perform
y more trying duty than to enter houses in
me wee sma' hours of the night to hunt
Tor burglars, real or imaginary, whom the
timid householder firmly believes to be
rummaging around in his castle.
There is really nothing in the whole csta-
logue of n bluecoat's duties which he dis
likes more. 1t Is not TINT he Is n coward,
for, ~ matter of fact, there are very few
towards on the New York police force, but
the ordeal OF making 4 target OF ones self
in dark and strange dwelling for well
lntrenched burglar TO shoot at Is one not
eagerly courtcd by the bravest.
1t was my good fortune to be n spectator
of an episode of this kind one rainy night.
was Oh my way home at about o'clock
in the morning. The streets were deserted.
On Murray hill the silence WAS unbroken
save by the steady drip of the rain and the
suffering of the electric lights from their
lofty poles along Park avenue
TERRIBLE INTERRUPTION.
0uUutUiY IneGt bIOhb VI Jut ueuJnllke
stiffness shrill cry of "Murderl Helpp'
uttered with the full frenzy of female
voice This was decidedly unpleasant, al
though it is interesting to read about. The
cries were repeated with frequency that
was blood curdling. Windows were raised
all through the street and heads poked out
into the cherries night. The sound Of
quick running and the alarm rap Of neer
and distant policemen's clubs increased the
excitement and soon the street was pOpu-
lous with excited men in many varieties of
eXtempOrIZed makeup. A policeman
rushed by me at this moment, and fol-
lowed, closing my umbrella as ran.
In Il side street some twenty doors from
the avenue a little crowd of men were
gathered in front of an unpretentious
looking English basement house, which |
afterward learned belonged to 5. Van
Rensselaer, Cruger, the well known poll
tician and society man. Two women were
hanging half ont Of the top story wind "
shrieking at one and the same time. III
that could be made of their incOher t
cries was tumble OF the words burglars"
and murder"
At sight of the policemen, who now came
running up from several directions, the
wOmeu-who were in their night robes
managed to regain n few of their scattered
wits. Between frightened sobs they said
that uhere were burglars III Uhe mousse ana
that they dared not 80 down and open the
front door
POLICE TO THE RESCUE
one or the policemen shouted up that
the door would have to be broken in. This
seemed to calm the girls, for one of them
presently left the window. la the trac-
. =
out bunch OF keys. An excited neighbor
procured lantern and four big Policemen
entered the house with drawn revolvers.
1t WAS an exciting moment. Nobody in
the crowd spoke word. The two white
robed figures still remained at the window
far above There was no anxiety on the
part of any onlooker to enter the house
the hall lamp of which had been lighted
by the policemen in their progress.
Eypectation was raised high when one
/ of the bluecoats was seen to mount the
stairs leading from the first floor and dis
appear in the darkness above. He was in
the room occupied by the women a mo
ment later. The crowd WAS interested &c
see that he was talking earnestly to them
/ Then, horrible to relate, laugh rang out
from the window. The men in the street
were getting very nervous and drew away
from the vicinity of the house, as if the
burglar might be expected to dive out of ii
in hurry.
After what seemed an age to the specta
tors the four policemen emerged from the
house together, closing the door after
them. The blinds were drawn in the
fourth story window, and the policemen
prepared to 90 about their business as II
nothing had happened.
4