The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-10-10
MASKED ROBBERS At WORK
Blew Open Safe at the Cambridge
COlliery.
THE WATCHMAN HELD PRISONER
Surprised and Bound and Forced to open
Doors and Remain Silent at the
Point Of Revolvers-Clue to
the Robbers Obtained


burglars attacked the watchman at the Cam
bridge colliery and ransacked the office in
true Western hold-up style, but secured
nothing for their pains, and the only loss to
the operators is a small safe.
The watchman is Thomas O'Connell. He
was on duty at the coliery office at about
1890 o'clock this morning when he saw at
a distance a man carrying away board. In
the darkness he was only able to discern the
form of a man, He left the Office and
shouted to the party to drop the
board, and the order was obeyed. The
picking up of the board, which was accom-
panied by considerable noise, was no doubt
ruse to get the watchman out Of the Office
and ascertain if he was alone. When the
board was dropped and the man disappeared
the watchman started back to the office. As
he reached the entrance a man suddenly
stepped from the south side of the office
building and thrust the muzzle Of a revolver
into the mouth of the watchman with such
force that three of the mans teeth were
knocked out. Almost at the same instant the
robber sprang forward and grabbed the
watchman at the throat, forcing him to the
ground.
By this time the first robber was joined by
three others. They assisted the watchman
to his feet and hustled him into the office.
There they tied his hands together in front
of his body and then forced him into a chair
with his face to the wall and his back towards
the safe. Meantime the robbers frequently
warned the watchman, at the risk of his
life, not TO attempt to give an alarm. The
muzzle of a revolver was continually held
at his head by one of the robbers. While
the watchman was seated in the Office his
/ IN ba "a
behind his back They were unable to
work the combination and took the
watchman to the blacksmith shop, which is
located about 100 feet distant from the office,
and compelled the watchman to open the
door. Upon entering the shop they asked
the watchman to open the tool box, but it
was locked and the captive didn't have the
! key. The robbers then broke open the box
and took from it some chisels, punches and a
sledge hammer. While they were in the
| shop footsteps were heard outside. The door
Of the shop had already been closed and the
| light carried was eXtinguished. The watch
man was forced to sit on the edge
of the barrel containing the water
in which the tools were tempered and
warned not to even murmur, or his life
would pay for it. 4 revolver was kept close
to his head. The watchman obeyed. There
is a small hole in the side of the blacksmith
shop through which men working on the
night shift at the colliery put their tools
when on the way home so that they may be
sharpened the next day. Some night men
approached the shop and threw their tools
through the hole with such momentum that
some of them barely missed striking the five
silent men, hurried homeward, and again the
robbers were left free to pursue their work.
! Seeing that the coast was clear the robbers
| left the shop, taking the watchman with
them back to the office. Work was resumed
on the safe door. A hole was made in it near
the combination with the punches and sledge
hammer taken from the blacksmith shop.
When everything was in readiness to blow
open the safe the watchman was placed in
charge of one of the men, who constantly
kept revolver at the captive's head and led
him to the Pennsylvania Railroad trestle,
several hundred yards northeast of the
colliery. 1t is supposed that the object Of
this precaution was that if the noise of
the explosion should attract any people
to the scene the captor would leave his pris-
oner and have good chance to get away
from the scene unobserved. Footsteps of
people descending the hill towards the trestle
were heard, evidently the footsteps Of people
on their way to Turkey Run, and the watch
man was " . pa
dirt banks and the trestle. The watchman
was forced down into the dirt so that his
| body made an impression Of some depth in
the surface of the bank and he was again
warned not TO attempt giving an alarm and
the cold muzzle Of a revolver rubbing against
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| the ONCE Inc lolce OF lhe explosion was