Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-03-18
BURGLARS ABOUT.
They Break Open a Priests Residence
But Are Frightened OF.


An unsuccessful attempt was made
early Friday morning to rob the resi-
dence of Rev. Cyril Guvoich, pastor of
st. Mary's Greek Catholic church. The
priest was awakened about o'clock by
crash of falling glass, and hastily ran
down stairs to ascertain the cause. As
he reached the lower floor he was caught
by man and held tightly, while five
others were in the hallway. The burglar
who held the priest had revolver in
one hand and was holding with the
other but as Rev. Guvolich is quite
strong man he soon freed himself and
sprang into a small side room, locking
the door behind him.
In the meantime the housekeeper,
Mrs. Tacharus, became alarmed at the
noise below, and she began calling for
help from second-story window. This
frightened the burglars, who prepared
to depart, but before doing so fired a
shot into the door of the room which
the priest entered. The bullet struck
the door jamb and imbedded itself in the
woodwork.
The report of the revolver gave Mrs.
Tacharus another start and in her fright
she jumped from the window, and in
falling broke her right leg and dislocat-
an ankle. Her injuries are very painful.
Upon the departure of the burglars
Rev. Guvolch aroused several neighbors
and search of the premises disclosed
the fact that nothing had been taken.
The outer door had been pried open
very neatly, but after entering they
bumped something against the glass
vestibule door, shattering ID. The fall
ing glass aroused the priest.
Early next morning Burgess Nc
Laughlin and the police force of town
began search for the guilty men. The
water tank at Upper Lehigh, which is a
favorite gathering spot for tramps, was
visited, and from the old stock there it
was learned that new gang of eleven
fairly-dressed men had been there for
two days and had been running the
place to suit themselves. They depart
ed at IL o'clock on the previous night,
and did not return.
Further developments confirmed the
suspicious of the police that this gang
was the crowd wanted. A sledge found
at Rev. Guvolich's answers the descrip-
tion of one stolen from the 9. r. r. of
N. j. tool-house near Pond Creek, and
William III. Green, the section foreman,
was here after it ON Saturday. From
M. Halpin's shop, which the burglars
likely passed when coming into town
from the water tank, they took brace
and two wood chisels. A glass lamp
found at the priests residence had been
stolen from the p. M. church, which was
also broken open.
Their purpose in securing lamp, it is
supposed, was to give them light to
break open the priests safe with the
sledge. The safeis small one, and was
in rear room. 1t contained nothing of
much value outside of the books and
papers of the church and congregation.
The residence of the priest is short
distance south of the Greek church on
Fern street. 1t is outside of the bor-
ough, and in the absence of electric
lights gang of six or eight men could
easily gather there. Such thing
would be hardly possible to do without
discovery in any other part of the town,
as the borough is lighted brilliantly
from one end to the other, and burglars
have not attempted to operate inside
its limits for some time
No trace of'the crowd suspected has
yet been found.