Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-25
Their Early Morning Visit to Mr..
Armstrong; Residence.
DARK LANTERNS AND PISTOLS
Three Thieves Ransack a House in
Search of Booty.
THREATENED WITH DEATH

The police authorities were notified today
| of a daring attempt at robbery made at
| the residence of Mr. John N. Armstrong,
| No. 6O7 New York avenue. about o'clock
| this morning. Three burglars were impl-
| Gated in the affair." and their appearance
| and conduct at the house would furnish
good material for a thrilling detective story
| for a cheap novel. Mr.. Armstrong is an
| elderly man, and in a short while he will
| have lived his allotted three score years
and ten. He is wheelwright by trade, and
| has his shop on the ground floor of his
| premises A few days ago his wife and
| other members of the family went out in
the country to spend few days, leaving
| him to live in the big house all by himself.
Yesterday morning he sold a wagon for
| $40 and put the cash in his pocketDook.
| When he retired for the night in his room
| on the third floor of the house he had locked
| the front door, as he supposed, and was
| soon unconscious of what was going on
about him.
burglars Three and n Pistol.
Just before o'clock he was half awak-
| cred by a noise on lower floor. Pres
entity he heard his door making sound as
If being opened, and opening his eyes he
looked just in time to see it slam against
| the plastered wall. Still he thought the
wind had blown it open and he lay perfect
| ly quiet. He thought If any burglars were
| in the house they would soon appear and
| that would be time enough for him to act.
AS he lay there watching the door he
was surprised to see the form of tall
| man enter. In an instant the burglar
| turned the flashlight in his face and
pointing pistol at his head, said: IF you
move speak word I'll kill you on the
spot"
And, of course with pistol pointed
| in my face 1 wasn't going to move" said
| Mr. Armstrong to a Star reporter.
Looking for PIunder.
Shortly two other men appeared and de-
mand was made for his money. They re-
moved and emptied bureau drawers. boxes
and chests, and did not give up the hunt
| until they had investigated every thing in
the room. Then they went in the rear
| room and from there to the hall room where
Mr. Armstrong; son sleeps. Even out in
the hall and on the lower floor they ram
| sacked everything in sight and scattered
goods of every description about the place.
| In his pocketbook which was in his trou-
| sers pocket Mr.. Armstrong had about $40,
! but in the search the burglars had knocked
| the trousers off the chair at his bedside
| and then overlooked them. But they did
get 81 which had been left in the wash
stand drawer and this and piece of soap
constituted their booty.
A Parting Admonition.
money there was in the house the burglars
got ready to leave The man with the lam
tern and pistol had but little to say, but
before leaving he gave this warning:
IF you get out of bed before 1 get out
of the house I'll come back and put bull
| let through YOU"
Mr.. Armstrong had no desire to move or
get out of bed just then, but soon as he
heard the front door slam he jumped out
of bed Slipped on his trousers and then
went in pursuit of the burglars. Two of
them went west toward 7th street and the
| third one turned the corner of 9th street
| and went north. Mr.. Armstrong followed
| this man as far as NJ street, and, not see
| ing a policeman or citizen to assist him, he
returned home.
Description of the Thieves.
He is positiv., that he can identify one of
the men, unless he was disguised when he
appeared In his room this morning. This
| man Is described as being tall, with a red
mustache and a small bunch of beard I'M
| der his chin. He wore a brown coat and
| dark trousers.
Two of the men, Mr.. Armstrong thinks,
were tramps while jhe third member of the
| trio was fairly we'll dressed.
The police were given description of the
| tall man, and were ordered to arrest all
| SUSPICIOUS tramps found about the city