The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-04
STRUCK DOWN BY A BURGLAR.
MRS. HORACE A. CRANES PLUCKY
FIGHT WITH A HOUSE.
BREAKER.

/ Fooled I'm His Attempt 10 Carry on
the Family Silver and Mr.. Cranes
Trousers, He Knocked Down His
AssaiIant, Hurled the silver at Her
and Escnped-She Never Thought
TO Scream Until FeIIed by the Rob-
hers FIst-The Police on the Bur
glars Track.
Mrs. Horace a. Crane had an experience
I with burglar at the residence Of her
I husband, No. 135 Jones street, early yes
terday morning. in which she displayed
wonderful nerve and completely bafied
the burglar in his efforts to get away with
some valuable plumber.
Mrs. Crane was awakened shortly before
6 o'clock by the light streaming in from
the adjoining room on her face. 1t was
from Mr.. Cranes room. She knew that
her husband had gone out as is customary
with him, for an early morning ride on his
bicycle. As he was always careful to close
the doors and turn down the light before
going out Mrs. Crane concluded that
something was wrong and got up to see
what was the matter. When she got to
the door and looked into the adjoining
room she saw a negro standing in front
OF a closet where Mr.. Crane keeps his val
uables. The door of the closet was opened.
though it is always carefully locked at
| night. The negro had box of silver under
one arm and on the other arm he had the
trousers belonging to Mr.. Cranes business
suit.
Mrs. Crane knew that her husband had a
large sum Of money in his trousers pockets
and the box which the burglar had under
his arm contained the family silver, which
she priced very highly and which was
brought up stairs every night and placed
under her bed for safe keeping.
The burglar must have gotten the silver
from under the bed before Mrs. Crane
awoke. She was so occupied with the idea
of saving the valuables that she did not
think of personal danger and boldly ad
vanced upon the burglar.
What are you doing here?" she de-
manded, at the same time Selling hold
of the trousers. The intruder was doubt
less surprised. He said nothing, but held
to the trousers and endeavored to make
his escape. Mrs. Cranes two stepsons,
William II. and Horace A. Jr., were
asleep on the floor above, and had she
screamed or called for assistance they
could have been on the scene in a mo-
ment. Instead of doing this she pluckily
held on TO the trousers and was dragged
out in the hallway and to the top of the
stairs by the burglar. The latter, be-
coming enraged at her persistence, de-
clared with an oath that he would kill
her and struck her a blow with his fist
on the shoulder, knocking her down As
she fell she screamed. She had held on
to the trousers when she fell. Seeing that
his game was up, the burglar loosed his
hold and eXclaiming, take that, - you,"
flung the box of silver at her. Luckily,
| it did not strike her. Then he ran down
the steps, closed the door behind him and
ran off.
The other members of the family were
| quickly aroused by Mrs. Cranes screams
and ran down to the hallway, where
they found her in a half fainting condi-
ton. Her nerve deserted her after the
| danger was past. BY the time she had
| explained the situation, the burglar had
made his escape. An immediate search
was made for him, but without effect.
! The police were notified and begun work
at once, but the burglar, who is evidently
| an old hand, was doubtless in a safe
hiding place by that time.
| Mr.. Crane was naturally much alarmed
when he returned home and learned of
| his wifes experience. He is anxious that
| the burglar should be caught and pun
| ished more on account of his treatment
| of Mrs. Crane than for his attempted bur
| glary. To a Morning News reporter who
called at the house yesterday morning
! Mrs. Crane gave an account of her eX-
! perience. She did not seem
to think that she had done
| anything wonderful and did not appear
| any the worse for her encounter. She
| 4 ., Oh,
| hanging around the house for the last sew
eral days and whose suspicious actions
| she had reported to other members of the
family. They have no doubt now that he
was studying the house and the move
ments of it's occupants and in that way, 1t
is supposed. he learned how to gain admit
lance to the house.
Mr.. Crane, when coming down stairs,
in the morning, was in the habit of first
! coming to the front door, unlocking and
| throwing it open, and then walking back
to the rear door for his bicycle. 1t is sup
| posed that the burglar was on the watch
| ard that as soon as Mr.. Crane opened the
front door and walked back to the rear he
slipped in and hid himself. He could not
| have entered that way after Mr.. Crane
went out as the door was closed. The
members of the family are at a loss to ex-
plain, however. how the man discovered
so easily where the valuables were kept.
|
obtained the information unless he is the
same man who visited the house year
ago, but who was frightened off without
taking anything.
The burglar had only been in the house
a short while when he was discovered
by Mrs. Crane, and yet when found
he had the closet in Mr.. Cranes room
open. The superstition is that he had a
| bunch of burglars keys.
Mrs. Crane gave the police a very accu-
rate description of the burglar. Detectice
| Wetherhorn is confident that he knows
the man. and that he will have him be.
hind the bars by this morning 1t will
not be his fault If he does not.
Mrs. Cranes nerve in facing the burg
lar and depriving him of his spoils is
the subject of general comment and ad-
miration, and her friends praise heI
plucky conduct
ST. PAUL'S RECTOR RESIGNS.