The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-12
A SHOT AT A BURGLAR.
Mr.. Henry St. John Smith Enjoyed
One Yesterday Morning.

Lighted Match to See EAbout the
Noise.
At half past two O'Clock yesterday
morning the family of Mr.. HenrySt. John
Smith, the banker, were alarmed by an
unusual experience with burglar
Mr.. Smiths residence is in Cape Eliza
beth, on the shore road, the entrance to
the grounds being In the vicinity of
Pond Cove. 1t is a large house, sur
rounded by extensive grounds, and is
| just the establishment that skilful pro-
fessional burglar would select for his OPP
erations, with the hope of getting rich
booty of plate and jewelry. Mr.. Smith
also has realized this. and has always
made it rule in the dozen years or
more that he has lived there. not toskeep
valubles IN any amount in the house.
At an early hour yesterday morning,
afterwards shown to have been at half
past two O'Clock, Mrs. Smith was awak-
ened by slight noise which she at first
| thought to be made by mouse. The
room is on the second floor of the house,
| and is occupied by Mr.. and Mrs. Smith
! and the baby. The baby's crib and the
| beds of Mr.. and Mrs. Smith are on one
| side of the room, while the bureau is on
the other side. The noise heard by
Mrs Smith was near this bureau, and
was occasioned, as learned afterwards,
by the burglar sorting over the contents
of little. dressing case, which he seems
to have mistaken for a jewel casket.
When the sound had aroused Mrs.
Smiths suspicious, she spoke to her
husband, saying something to the effect
that the noise was rather loud for a
mouse and that she would strike
light. OF course the burglar heard this
conversation, and prepared himself ac-
cordingly. Mr.Smith, half-awake, took
his pistol, which was at hand, and half
raised himself in bed as Mrs. Smith
struck the match. The flash of the
match revealed a man standing near the
foot OF Mrs. Smiths bed. AS seen in the
brief instant he seemed to be thick set
fellow of medium height, with a short,
stout neck. His hat was p ulled we'll
down to his ears. He had in his hand
a pistol, which he discharged the mo-
ment the light was struck. Almost at
the same instant Mr.. Smith fred at him.
The two shots were so near together
that Mrs. Smith thought they were one.
The burglar probably did not intend
to hit any one. His bullet struck the
ceiling overhead, and glancing, fell to
the floor beside Mrs. Smiths bed. The
shot was probably intended to brighten
the occupants of the room and cover the
intruder's retreat. Mr.. Smiths bullet
did not hit the burglar, but striking the
wall over his .head. penetrating the
ceiling, passed into the hallway and
was afterwards picked up .near the
stairs.
AS soon as he had fired Mr.. Smith
leaped out of his bed, prepared to do
battle with the enemy. The match had
gone out with thesfring, and all was dark
in the room. Mrs. Smith, who had been
very calm considering the trying cir
cumstances, feared that her husband
hadbeen shot. In cropping to his bed,
from which he had just arisen, she
touched his arm. She thought at once
that she had touched the burglar, and
was quite overpowered by the sensation.
Mr.. Smith now began to hunt for the
enemy. With the left hand stretched
out before as feeler and his right hand
holding the pistol all cooked, he slow
ly explored the room, expecting each in
slant to touch the burglar and have a
duel at close quarters A more trying
test of nerve than this rarely falls to
mans lot, as ssMr. Smith realized after
it was all over. But the burglar bad
made his escape as soon as the shots
were fired. Mem bers of the family Sleep
ing in other rooms heard someone RIM
rapidly down the front stairs, tumbling
over chairs as he. made for the front
door.
A general exploration of the house
showed that the burglar entered sand
left the house by the front door. The
key was In the door, and quite likely it
was turned from.t outside with pinch |
ers. If this was not the case, the door
was probably left Enclosed when the
family went to bed.
A single clue was Ieft-the BURGLARS
hat, which fell from his head during his
fight through the hall. It is cheap
grade brown derby, with a small cord
around the band, and labor union la
bel on the inside, indicating that it was
made III union factory. This hat is
now in possession of the police.
Early in the morning telephone mes
sage was sent to police heaquarters. and
Deputy Marshall Sterling despatched
two officers, Phillips and Ball. at
ouce. They examined the premises
and took all the steps possible
for experimenting the burglar. 1t is be- |
lieved that hewas a skilful professional. |
BUT he was sadly deceived in thinking |
that Mr.. Smith kept valuables in his |
house. Two little pins of small value.
were ali the booty that rewarded bis
labors.
Associate Justice Jackson of the Su-
preme court is very i'll at Louisville
but the railroads decline to ATTEMPT to
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