The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-04
WITH LEvELED Gun.
Burglars Walk Up to D. Fl.
Forbes Door,
Ring the Bell and Demand
Money and Valuables
AT THE PISTOL POINT.
Mrs. Barnes Who Resides at the
House
Screams So Loud That the
Thieves Run Away.
II THE PISTOL POINT.

SNA AoA 100 IA 2 O0AHR DCEpStIot00 onO az
tempted was eclipsed last night when
two colored men walked up to the front
door of D. II. Forbes house, 705 Polk
street, rang the door bell, and when the
only person. in the house, a woman, ap-
peared presented a revolver at her head
Their plans of robbery were thwarled
by the nerve and bravery of the woman.
Mrs. l. \. Barnes is the heroine of the
hour in the neighborhood of the Forbes
home on Polk street today. She refused
to throw up her hands when ordered to
do so with pistol pointed at her head,
aud by refusing, saved the home of D. II.
Forbes from being rsnsacked by burg
lars. The exciting event took place about
7:45 last night while people were passing
along the street and the premises were
plainly visible in the bright moonlight.
Mrs. Barnes had just returned from
the home of her brother, Major T. ].
Anderson. Mr.. and Mrs. Forbes had just
gone to church, and the house was de-
serted.
"As 1 was OF my way home," said Mrs.
Barnes to Journal reporter,"I heard the
bell for church ringing, SO l know that
Mr.. and Mrs. Forbes could not have been
gone more than fifteen minutes when l
returned. l came in the front door and
went through to the rear of the house.
As did 50 l heard 4 nolse..in the kitchen,
but thought it was the wind. did not
notice, as We found afterward, that the
glass in the back door WAS broken out,
but went into my room on the side and
began reading, leaving the curtain up
About five minutes afterward, l heard
step on the porch. l noticed that it
was a muffied foot fall, but l didn't
think anything of it There WAS a whis-
tie, and l thought that Lee (Mr. Forbes
SOM had returned. / wondered why he
had come home SO early from church,
but still never thought but what it was
be. The dooFbell rang and l went TO let
him in. AS | went along the hall /
could hear whistling and it sounded just
like the tunes that Lee whistles.
II unlocked the door aud threw it
wide open. was looking right into the
end of a revolver"
Give me your money or I'll blow out
your Drains," said q colored man behind
it.
81 couldn't realize what was the mat
ter. l couldn't account for his being
there instead of Lee. l had been so
confident of seeing Lee that l didn't see
why he wasn't there. l must have stood
there wondering for minute He kept
me covered with the revolver all the
time
FINALLY said, why, I haven't any
money Then / saw the other man
standing behind the one with the pistol.
1t just d0wned on me then that
they were burglars. gave
one Jump out onto the
porch and landed right between them.
Then l began to scream. l didn't scream
because / was frightened myself, but be-
cause l wanted to frighten them away
At the first screech they bounded off the
porch and across the front yard. They
didn't take time to go down the steps
when they came to the terrace. but jump
ed off and ran like scared deer. One ran
north and one south. The neighbors came
rushing in and we looked through the
house.
1--WE found that the glass in the back
door had been broken and they had un-
doubtedlv been IN the house when
came home and disturbed them. The
only thing that has yet boon missed is
Mr.. Forbes's everyday hat. All the plate
was in the house and other like articles
of value.
81 should know the man again who
had the revolver if he had on the same
hat. He was not very large, in
fact he was rather short He
was not very black. but his face
was rather yellow. He had on y brown
slouch hat and u dark brown coat. The
pistol was long one of the navy kind,
with blue barrel. l noticed particularly
that it wasn't bright gun.
81 think that they did not care to come
into the house themselves. If they had
they could have bound and gagged me
and had everything searched in the time
that l was standing there looking at
them. They thought that l would be SO
frightened that / would get everything
valuable and give it to them without
aay trouble. They certainly saw me
through the window after had fright
ened them out of the house the first
time, ard thought this would be even
easier than the way they had at first
planned out. The one with the revolver
seemed to be waiting to see what l was
going to do rather than attempting to do
anything himself. He must have been
surprised at the way I acted
Chief of Police Wilkerson with three
officers arrived ut the house shortly after
the attempted robbery. They made a
thorough investig CATION, but were unable
to find any conclusive clues. Chief Viii
ksrson says it is the boldest attempt at
robbery that he ever heard of IN Topeka.
The Forbes home is beautiful place
and one where any burglar might think
that riches awaited him inside. 1t is the
property of D. II. Forbes the hardware
merchant. Mrs Barnes is an old friend
of the family's and makes her home
there.
There seems to be no protection against
these marauders. The escape of so many
is doubtless the canss of the boldness
and daring with which others, or "the
same ones over again." are almost
nightly attempting robberies.
A special force of men is put on Sun