The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-18
SHOT BY MASKED ROBBERS.
DAVID LAMBERT OF WILTON, CONN,
Wounded MORALLY At HOME.

-
The Robbers Had ChloroIoFmea his WHO ana
Were Probably Surprised by Hin In Their
Ro,berv or m. ,uo,,.-pour uu,,et wounds
mi, u.,s.
WILTON, Conn.,, Dec. 17.-Mrs. Davis 8. II.
Lambert, the wife Of a well-known resident OF
this town and a writer Of local note, was called
to her door about 9 o'clock this evening by .
knock. Surprising Il was her husband. who
had been absent in Norwalk, she opened the
door. Two masked men forced their way into
tho room, seized Mrs. Lambert, and quickly
tied her In a chair. Ono OF them said;
"Where Is the bother
Tho other then produced q bottle OF chloro-
form and o rag, and, saturating tho Same, APP
piled it to Mrs. Lambert's face. She became
unconscious. The next abe remembered was
a pistol shot, which awoke hcr. She saw her
husband lying by the door. Releasing herself
with great effort, she rushed to her husbands
side and found blood oozing from o wound In
his head.
Mrs. Lambert at once rushed to tho nearest
neighbours and gave an alarm. Coroner's Az
sistant DR.. A. B. Gorham arrived in q few mo-
ments, and the wounded man, who was still
lying where he had fallen, was removed to an
other room. A hasty examination revealed
four bullet wounds, one in the head, two In the
left side near the heart, and one in tho left leg,
all inflicted with a 32-calibre revolver. A bull
let Of the same gauge, four empty shells, and
two unused cartridges were found on the floor.
Coroner Gorham at once sent for physicians
in Norwalk and alarms were sent to all nearby
towns. A man named James Comstock who
was driving home from Norwalk reported pass
ing q horse and carriage going toward Nor
walk about the time of the assault and from his
description it is thought it was Lambert's
horse. Investigation showed that the horse
was missing, and later word was received from
South Norwalk that it was found abandoned
in the streets. Two men answering the de-
scription of the assailants had:boarded the 1865
o'clock express for New York.
Mrs. Lambert saws both men were apparent
" under thirty years OF age, about s feet 8
inches tall. One wore a gray suit, and both
wore masks and black derby hats.
An examination of the house showed that
nearly every room had been ransacked. Moth
ing of value was missed but a purse and Mr..
Lambert's watch. Mrs. Lambert Is positive
that in ono of the mep.she recognized the voice
NJ a dissolute character known as Benny Willis.
n former pupil of Mr.. Lambert's. who later had
lived with a woman of the name of Mitchell.
whom he left very suddenly. The missing pocket,
hook contained $50. Willis passed through
this town within two years a tramp, and was
TGcOKnIZp0 DIV n NUMBER OF IOIIut ITl6nu6.
Willis is about % years old, of dark com.
plexion and about 5 feet 8 inches tall. Mr..
Lambert conducted the Lambert Academy, a
select private school here. for several years.
hut ut present had no pupils. He comes of an
old and respected family and lives in tho ances-
trail home which was built prior to 1920. The
family plato and china, which was considered
valuable. was not disturbed.
Mrs. Lambert is the daughter Of the late Capt.
&. r. Ogden, and has contributed q number Of
lever stories to Saint Nicholas and other maya,
zines under the name of Eva L. Ogden. She re-
covered in a remarkable manner from the Of.
fects of the shock and drugs, and is in attend.
ance at her husbands bedside. The neighbors
have formed q number Of posses and are search.
ing in various directions for possible traces Of
the assailants.
Town Clerk Henry E. Chichester is at tho
bedside and will take Mr.. Lambert's ante
| morteln statement II he RECEIVERS consciousness.
At midnight tho attending doctors give little
hone. Probing has shown that one Of tho bull