The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-15
SHE USED A HAMMER.
A PIucky Girl More Than Match
For n burglar.

From Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
There was once a humorist. married
who begged that his wife aim at him if
she wished to hit COW she was throwing
stone at, for he knew she would at least
miss him then; but that humorist did not
have the pleasure of an acquaintance with
Miss May Cavanaugh of New York. Miss
Cayanaugh can not only throw straight
put she can use a long-handled hammer as
rev women can or will attempt to do. The
other night she used it to such advantage
that TWO burglars whc we're intent on GET
ing INTO the house where she lives with
her mother and brother, on Randolnh
street. gave up the job as too much like
work and one of them, at least, took his
hahd to hospi' al to get it patched up for
future use. In other words, this slim. pref
W girl of eighteen, who is a white-hngered
stenographer, and not a wild western
cowgirl" as might be ina gined, drove
on two lawbreakers with a hammer. and
dld not think herself much of a heroine
at that. That she has good nerve and good
nerves goes without saying; that her aim
was true and her muscle good the burg
lar who is carrying his arm in a sling will
testify.
1t was 1880 p. m. Miss Cavanaugh's
brother and uncle had gone to a political
i'ONt-iis7t iSaNlhS OHly the mother OF the
family and Miss May, who is a slender
young girl, not at all like the usual pic
ture of an Amazon, alone in the house.
The bigger sister was away for the even
ing, as well as the men, and the burglars
knew it.
Randolph street, at No. esS. where the
CaVanaughS live, is a quiet portion of the
city. There is usually no one to disturb
the slumbers of its inhabitants after 9
o'clock in the evenng-not even a police-l
man. Which probably accounts for the
presence of the burglars there shortly
after 10 O'clock on this memorable night.
Both of the women feared burglars. but
they ala not know certainly that any We're
lurking about at the time. AS they went
upstairs to bed, however, they saw that
all the doors were locked and Mrs. Cav
anaugh called down to May as she was
turning out the lights: Bring up the
hammer, May"
1t seems that this hammer is the artil-
lery and armament generally of the Cav
anaugh household. 1t is the standby in
all cases of war against laWbreakers or
possible war, and though there is a pistol
also in the house, woman-like, Nav de-
clared that she would not touch the old
thing hammer or a poker Is usually
far moro dangerous in the hands of a
woman than any other kind Of weapon.
In this case it proved itself most eff
Miss May brought the hammer which is
long-handled. rough headed affair. used
to beat the festive beefstealSs into edible
condition in the early morning, upstairs
as directed by her mother and, placing il
alongside her bed, she disrobed, put up her
hair and crept between the cool sheets,
A moment later, with her checks pillowed
on one small hand. she was dreaming of
new dresses, bon bons and the nice young
man who took her TO the theater last. She
had looked out the window into the wet
night before retiring, and observing Moth
ing but rain, had decided to worry no
more about burglars. But scarcely had
she fallen asleep ere her mother was be-
side her, whispering: Listen! There
is some one trying to get inr'
AS IL was not time for the men folk OF
the house 10 return, Miss May sat up In
bed In wide-eyed surprise, and her heart
beat fast under the dainty gown she had
on Then she slid one small foot out OF
bed, followed by the other caught up the
rusty weapon, the hammer and "slinkedr
as she says, down stairs to the side door
o. the dining-room. Here there was a
am light and she could just make out two
dark ngures just outside. They were OF