Milford chronicle., 1892-03-18
BObbaTS Make a Haul
Six safes BurgIarized.

d the most public places of the town had
been broken into by burglars. The first
discovery was made by the clerA1ON2l-
lands store when they opened on -
! day morning. The large safe had been
, blown open and about $500 in notes and
1 silver had been taken; al entrance had
been gained by forcing open the front
doors and then their work was compare
tiyely easy, as close shutters cover the
windows and headlights the doors. The
safe combination was then struck with a
sledge and knocked off, the hole then
left in the door was sufficient to pour
powder into and it exploded by means of
a fuse. On the large safe, the door was
blown all to pieces. None of the books
or papers were disturbed; but two shot
bags of silver and lot of paper money
was taken. The thieves took some I'M
derclothing for immediate service from
Mr. Holland and went out by back
door.
Hearn, Adkins & Powell's safe at their
lumber yard Office. was next found blown
open: but here the burglars got less than
S. IN change. They found notes and
checks 10 the amount of nearly 5000, but
they were not disturbed. At the depot
the safe was blown open and $34. so taken.
W. H. Davis on entering his beef mar
ket found the floor covered with the
wreck of his safe door, aud his money
1.-..,,.- h,,--t 1-.,. n,l,, a faxv dollars in |
pennies was secured by that job.
w. C Powders was the next heaviest
loser after Holland. His safe was not
blown open, but the combination had |
been knocked off and the bolts drawn
back. He lost $50 in cash that had been
paid to him after bank hours on Satur-
day.
Welch's blacksmith shop was broken
into and a sledge and other tools taken
from it.
P. P Richards carriage shop was next
entered but nothing taken.
They started to open ames.Welch's
store, but did not complete the job. Had
they have done so, they would have Sc
cured rich plHuder, for he had about $500
in money in his safe-the most of it his;
but part left with him for safe keeping by
other parties
From appearances and the widely sep
arated points, the gang must have worked
m two or more squads. On Saturday
four or five young men, of fairly genteel
appearance were noticed about the town,
and We're asking for food at private
houses, and it is now evident that they
were the cracksmeu who did the work.
They did THEN work between midnight
ON Sunday night and three O'Clock Mon
day morning
Mr.. Holland will pay a reward of
SIS for the arrest and conviction of the
thieves, and Mr.. Davis will add $40 to it.
Rumors of their whereabouts on Mon
day and Tuesday placed them at several
places: but on Monday night the four
men boarded the Norfolk express bound
north at Dover.
FIERCE FIGHT on THE TRAIN.
Detective Hutchins, Constables Smith
and Lockerman boarded the same train,
and Detective Hutchins tells the follow
lug story Of the fight:
When they got on at Dover at once
recognized in them the burglars. Two {
of them seated themselves IN the Dliddle
Of the car willie the other two took seat
near the stove at the front of the car /
ordered Chief LocS erman TO place him
self at the front door Of the car where
two Of tie men were. County Constable
Smith. If Camden, aud l approached the \
two men sitting in the middle Of the car.
7 ordered them to 90 to the front OF the 7
car where their companions were sitting
telling them they were under arrest at
the same time. In the meantime Chief }
Iockerman still guarded the trout door
of the car. /
Constable Smith and then marched
the ether two burglars to the front OF the Z
car This attracted the attention OF the
two sitting near the door that Lockerman
was guarding They at once recognized
in him an ,fficer. As Quick as Hash the
two men we're upon their ieet. 1hey 7
covered Lockerman with their pistols,
placing the weapons withlh an men ~ T
his forehead Leave the door, tne
meu exclaimed. Lockerman ooeyed' AT
this moment the other Two burglars
turned upon Constable Smith and hred
We in turn oDeued fire upon them. Que
of the balls Whistled over my shoulqer'
Another pierced the coat OF Constable Z
Smith. After the fire had been kept up
but a short time one of the men fled iuto
the toilet ruom the car and two others )
went out on the platform, leaving one .
still in the car.
When oue Of the burglars slipped into
the toilet room Chief Lockerman closed
the door upon him and held it. Gov
cred the man remaining i'll the car with
NV pistol. The man who had fled into +
the water closet at first attempted toJump
ont Of the window. The train was run
ming too fast (4o miles an hour). lie then
deliberately reached his arm out OF tne
window and reaching around the WlnuOW
still began firing at Smith ana tnIousu n
the car window. We had several narrow
escapes from being shot. Inc pislOl
balls whistled thick and fast ABOUT our
heads. Finally the firing ceased. Ihen b
Sn,ith reached his arm out Of the window !,
aNd fired five shots point blank at the I
man IN the toilet room. The next mln- s
ute the burglar threw himself out OF the q
window and let 90. That was the last T
seen of him.
About this time, when bullets were hy-
ing in the car, the burglar who had re Z
maiued in the car until this time fled out .
ol the platform and joined the other two
This was between Ches-
void and Brenford. Smith fired two shots
at them through the glass in the door. I
The train then began to slacken up at
Brenford. Smith and Lockerman Went
to the rear of the Car. went to the
front platform AS I reached the plat Il
form one Of the men was hanging to the +
steps. He opened fire ON me. shot 70
Lii this time. 1 fred at his body point b
blank. 1 think / must certainly have I
nut some bullets in his body. THIS IS
probably the man found to be wounded
When Smith aud Lockerman reached
the rear end OF the car two other bur
glars opened fire on them without effect.
T,,e burglars by this time were upon the
ground and then made their escape as the