The morning news., 1892-03-15
WOMAN oUTE. MAN OUTER
Mrs. adventure With a
Prowlsng Tramp.
From the New YORK Press.


DECKERTowE, N. j., March 12.-Mrs.
Sarah Baker. wife of a farmer in Want
age. is a small woman but strong and pos
sesses plentyfot pluck. She was alone
yesterday. her husband being away on
business. Her eyes had troubled her for
several weekss and she was wearing pair
dining room early in the afternoon and had
fallen into a deSe.s5
Suddenly the door opened AMI tramp
| entered. He wasn't very large, but he had
an ugly look and learried club. He did
not see Mrs. Baker at first and she kept
very quiet. Finallyshe said:
"Who is there9"
The tramp looked around and at once
made up bis mind the woman was blind
That is just what she wanted him to be-
lieye, for she had already formed plan of
action. f-a-s
81 want something TO eat, and / want it
quick. Sect" said the tramp.
mo, don't see, said Mrs. Baker, "but
hear very we'll. and guess you are a thief
come to rob the house"
"Never mind what you guess. You hustle
and get me some grub. l hain't had any
thing to eat since yesterday morning"
MRS. BAKER WAS BLIND.
Mrs. Baker got up and pretended to
| found some bread and butter and some cold
pork and put them on the table. Then she
| fumbled around until she found the chair
| and sat down again. The vagabond ate
everything up and then he shouted:
"Now want what money you have in
the house"
Haven't any money, replied Mrs. Baker.
"You're liar" yelled the visitor, land
| IL you don't tell me where IL Is I will cut
| your heart out" ES
The little woman was badly frightened.
but she did not show any signs of agitation
and stuck to her story that she had no
| money until the tramp grabbed her by the
hair aud said he would cut her throat. Then
she apparently weakened and said all the
money they had was hidden where she
| couldn't get at it.
Where is itg' asked the tramp.
"In the big oven." was the reply, and,
| without turning her head, Mrs. Baker
pointed toward the kitchen. The man went
| in the kitchen and looked in the old oven.
There was no fire in It, and 1t seemed empty.
Then he came back, and taking her by the
throat, said she was lying and that he would
kill her. She cried and begged him to spare
her life, and amid her sohs informed him
that the money was in wad behind loose
| brick at the rear of the oven.
FELL INTO A TRAP
She looked SO innocent and truthful that
| the man believed her and went back into
| the kitchen. Mrs. Baker waited until she
heard him crawling into the big oven. She
| looked and 50 " that be was nearly in Then
she ran into the kitchen and grabbing the
tea kettle from the stove, poured the boil-
ing water on bis legs. He yelled with pain
and involuntarily drew his legs inside the
| oven. The woman at once shut the oven
door and fastened it By putting knife
| through the latch.
Then she slipped on her bonnet and
darted down the road for a mile until she
reached the blacksmith's shop. There were
three men there. After resting a minute
she managed to tell them what had occur
red. They grabbed some hickory spokes
and all hurried back. It was half an hour
from the time Mrs. Baker left until she re-
turned. The men were rather timid when
they entered the kitchen, but they regained
their courage when they saw the oven door
fastened as Mrs. Baker had described. They
decided that Mrs. Baker should open the
door. and as she did so they would grab the
tramp, beat him with the spokes, and then
bind him, and while one OF them watched
him the rest would get wagon and horse
and take him 20 the Justice at Vantage.
HOW THE TRAMP GOT OUT.
| Rut when the woman suddenly opened
the oven door she gave cry OF astonish-
ment As she looked in she saw clear across
| the kitchen garden and out into the or
chard The tramp had kicked the entire
back ont of the old oven, which was 100
wears old, the bricks Of which were laid in
mud mortar, and escaped. Search
wag made for him the rest or the day,
bur he could not be found; Yesterday hrs.
Baker heard that few days before man
had been treated by DIR. PhIhower for
scalded legs, which be said he got from
| standlpg toe near to a locomotive.