Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-03-17


Special Correspondence of iazetteand journal
MILFORD, March 14.-A wholesale safe
burglary was perpetrated in this town be-
tween midnight and daylight this morn
Ing, and much excitement prevails. The
safe Mt the d., NJ. a. V. railroad depot was
blown open and about $40 in cash was
taken. At PowelPs office the safe was
also blown open but only small amount
of specie was secured; nearly 5000 in checks
and notes were in the safe at this office but
were not taken.
The best haul of the burglars was at the
large wholesale and retail store of j. Il.
Holland, at the corner of South Walnut
and Front streets. The safe was blown
open and between $500 and $500 in money
taken. There were also many checks in
Mr.. Hollands safe but they were left un-
touched. There was also u small safe in
Mr.. Hollands Office which was blown
open, but little was secured from it, all the
money being. kept in the big safe.
The safe Of W. g. Powders, undertaken
on North Front street, was also broken
open and $50 in cash stolen.
ALL ny ONE GANG.
The same gang did all the work. All
the safes were broken into in the same
manner. The combination was first
broken off with chisel or some cutting
tool, and powder placed in the hole and
blown open and completely wrecked.
STILL ANOTHER,
The safe of W. ii. Davis, at the Walnut
street bridge, was also blown open, but as
Mr.. Davis cannot be seen at this writing
the amount stolen cannot be found out.
OTHER PLACES BuRGLARIzED.
Besides breaking into the safes named
several other places were broken into.
The carriage shop of Representative Z. +.
Richards nntprpi nqp tho
blacksmith shop of w. G. WEIGH. AT this
time the full extent of the burglares can
not be discovered, but ii is feared that the
full extent is not as yet reported.
GANG OF -FOUR MEN.
The work was done after midnight last
might and was done by gang of four
linen who have been hanging around here
since Saturday morning. One of the men
ate breakfast at the home of Theodore
Townsend, one ate at William Laytons,
another at Il. NJ. Johnsons and still
another at Theodore Pettyiohns. They
were all neatly dressed and looked like
working men. Each claimed to be from
Philadelphia and said they were on their
way to Norfolk in search of work in u
cotton factory.
The only description of the men that
can be gotten at this early hour is of two
of them. One is a short, stout man with
stubby red rnustache; another was about
feet inches in heghth, with smooth
lace ana was wei dressed.
SUPPOSED TO HAVE GONE UP STATE.
The men are supposed to have gone up
the State, and the authorities have been
notified TO be on the lookout for them.
The State and railroad officials have both
been notified.
PASSED OFF FOR PRINTER.
Later-lt now appears that the men have
been here since Friday last and they
camped in the woods near town. One of
f1a wan In, t1aa .,.,1 -, ff.a.,
office yesterday morning and passed off
for printer and asked il he could get
work TO day. Charles Stenson, the fore
man, told him they were not in need of
any printers, but gave him letter to l..
D. @. Hedgeman, editor of tho Laurel
Gazette.
GREAT EXCITEMENT PREVAILS.
There is much excitement among the
citizens of Milford, as il is by many
Thought probable, the burglars are still in
this section, while some think they have
left for parts unknown. There have not
been any trainsfor them to leave on unless
They went to Harrington and took the 1850
express train this morning Everybody is
on the lookout and developments are ex-
pected at any minute.
A bold and successful evasion of arrest,
accompanied by fierce battle, the like
of which never occurred before on a
train in this State, was made last
Tuesday morning on the Norfolk ex-
press which arrived in this city at AIS.
The parties whose capture was being
attempted were undoubtedly the burglars
who wrecked and robbed safes at Milford
the night before.
About $50 o'clock that morning Detec-
tive Hutchins and two constables who
were at the Delaware railroad station at
Dover, on the lookout for the burglars
were surprised at the entrance of four men
whose appearance correspondent with the
&nblished description of the gang whoSt
Expectations at Milford created a sen.
eation i'll that town. Just as the
quartet entered the building the
Norfolk express came along. Two Of
the men walked up to the ticket office
window and each bought ticket for this
city. Their companions did not stop bui
proceeded direct to the train, where they
were followed n few seconds later by til,
couple who bought tickets. On the trar
the two men who had not secured tickets
paid their fare to this city. The detective
and the constables quietly got aboard thu
u train and went to the smoker whittier tn,
suspects had gone. Seven minutes afte
the train left Dover just as it was passing
Cheswold, between four and five mile
north of the State capital, the battle begun
The following account of the ARRAY wa
obtained from George Tumlin, the baggag
master of the train:
Two of the suspects went to the sea
facing the stove in the forward end of tn
thi pluSccue, W
seat little beyond midway the car, al
taking seats on the same side of tn
smoker. One of the men of the rear coupl
put his elbow on window sill and restet
his head on his hand, and when Dectetiv
Hutchins passed him he glanced furtivel.
at the officer. Next went to the baggag
car and getting . lantern and shove
walked to the stove in the forward end o
the smoker and began filling the stoy
with coal. 1t was dark in the end of tn
car and got lantern so that | could get
look at the men on the front seat. When
approached them with the lantern the
lowered their heads, pulled their hats dow
so as to hide their eyes and covered th
lower part of their faces with their hands
After that went back and filled the rea
stove.
BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.
"While was back one Of the men o
the rear couple arose and proceeded to tn
toilet. Immediately one of the constable
passed over to the vacant seat and said
few words TO the man whose companio
had Just left him. did not hear the cor
uversation. simultaneously the two men o