The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-07-30
DOWN DARK HILLsBoRo ROAD.

A Band of Robbers in Full Feather
Making Way with Skillets and Pans.
Chickens and China, Lard, and
Ladies, Wear and Whatever they
Can Get their Hands On--They Have
Entered the Homes of Messrs. Skim
ner, Belvin, Holiday, Bachelor,
Chamberlain and Smith--Taik of
a Vigilance Committee.
Down Hillsboro road, homes stand
back shy from the stray arc-light or
passing simmer of electric car, heavily
draped in shadow, rich in gloom-that
deep, black shadow upon which the eye
Of evil men of night feed gluttonously.
Down Hillsboro road, there's where the
robbers prowled last week in house to
canvass almost.
Mr.. Smith lives just next to the A. and
NJ. College, where these nights, down
Hillsboro road, ghoulish voices whisper
hoarsely along the slopes with the sound
of rain drops against magnolia leaves.
The rest was silent; not foot step was
heard anywhere on Hillsboro road, but
hands went in out of the homes almost
invisibly.
Mr.. Smith takes boarders, and there are
students among the boarders, and the
robbers knew this; for they lit up the
dining. room, and the folk of the house
bethinking themselves that the people of
the home only were there, paid no heed.
They did not touch the silver ware, these
strange men, they left bread untouched
on the table, they took half barrel of
sugar, all the preserves, butter, twenty
pounds of lard, there was scarcely any
thing handy left by them. They would
have taken more had not their ear caught
the belated footsteps of boarder
Asbury who entered about eleven to
find the dining room de- dinerized. They
had not been frightened off, however,
before having erept into the bedroom of
Mrs. Smith and stolen her silk dress,
these robber men of Hillsboro road.
Then they glided out again into the
shadow, and went into the chicken, pan
and skillet business, picking the roost as
bare as Mother Hubbard's bone.
They went to the home of Prof, Skin
ner, once, to Mr.. Belvin's home, twice, to
Prof. Holidays home, twice, to the
home of Mr.. Plummer Bachelor on
Friday night last, to Mr.. Chamberlain's
home on Saturday night. Mr. Chamberlain
was away. Mrs. Chamberlain awoke
and heard stealthy noises She was on
the first floor, and sounded the alarm.
Mr.. Chamberlain's brother was just
above. He got down just in time to see
them go. They were negroes. There
were traces of many of them. They
have been banded together for over two
weeks. They entered the pantry and
rifed it, and sacked the kitchen aud the
dining room, and went their ways.
So that down Hillsboro road, there is
watching now night after night. Mean
while, there is seemingly no help for
these things which have been done.
For the base of action, as well as
the base of supplies are out Of the city's
jurisdiction, and they do say that the
Magistrates fees are not sufficient to
tempt that judicial functionary to beat a
patrol among the dim ways down Hills
boro road. And some talk among them
selves of Vigilance Committees, and
there is a great taking of counsel down
Hillsboro road. Meanwhile, the citi-
zens are beginning to become aroused,
dAu HclguDoIS are CdlkluS Will Oue
another of the best thing to do. To-
night some kind of organized sentinel
corps is expected to be on guard. The
situation is by no means one that arises
from an isolated case of theft.
There should be practical, prompt,
vigorous and effective measures taken
to nip this movement in the bud.
The members of this gang, many of
them may be caught, and no less will
meet the situation as it stands now
among the thieves down Hillsboro road
Mayors Court Yesterday.