The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1897-10-08
BURGLARY IN 1745.
No wonder Reward Was offered by the
Suffering Citizens.


Suffering Citizens.
The protection of property, real and per-
sonal. in this city in 1745 was less thor
ough ana less systematic perhaps than IT
is in these days when the maintenance OF
the police department costs 80, 1000, U00
year and the value of property delivered to
the precinct houses and to the property
clerk at headquarters is more than $780,
coo year, but whatever the local arrange
mcnts were for the protection OF property,
they were, if the statements of the local
chronicles of the city are to be believed,
inadequate in the case of Patrick Phegan,s
a resident New Yorker, who offered re-
ward of So and all reasonable charges for
the recovery of property taken from his
residence under the fagrantly indefensible
conditions following, as recited by Phegan
in a proclamation addressed to the good
people of the kings colony:"
Whereas about II o'clock on Saturday night
last one Timothy Long, jeyner, aged about 40
years, has dent on his upper lip under his
right nostril, a scar on his right cheek, is
about foot high, wears blue coat, black
Grape jacket light colored wig. in company
with Thomas Powle, lusty young man, be-
longing to the garrison of New York, with the
aid and assistance of Judith, wife of Patrick
Phegan, the undersigned, did rob the said
Phegan's house of several sorts of goods (the
said Phegan then lying dangerously i'll of
violent fever and sickness), among which We're
good feather bed, a chest with sundry sorts
Of goods, teakettle, frying pan and many
other things
AS may be seen from this, Patrick and
Judith were engaged in what in these days
would be described as light housekeeping,
but the traditional affection of many weak
members of the fair sex for soldier in
uniform led to lareenous Partially for
/ Powle. Tommy Atkins of the city garri-
/ SON. Phegan's recital of the details of the
robbery and the personal appearance of the
male canspirators against his frying pan
and teakettle does not include a descrip-
ton of the wife of his bosom, Judith, but
his apparent deficiency is supplied in the
second half Of the proclamation, which is
as follows:
The said Judith is a thin. lively woman, with
hazel eyes, a small scar on her face; wears
/ sometimes a short scarlet coat, at other times
/ a long black cloak, and has taken her son
with her, aged about years, handsome
lively boy, with his hair cut off lately, only
little lock behind. Whosoever secures the said
persons SO that they may be brought to jus
tice will have So and all reasonable charges
paid by PATRICK PHEGAN.
1t is not stated whether Long Junior
Powle, soldier; Judith, the thin, lively
woman, or her son, with his hair cut, was
apprehended by the local constables, but il
is evident at least that Mr.. Phegan recov
cred from his fever and violent sickness
and the action of Judith seems to have re
lieved him from any possible charge fol
alimony Phegan was grocer, and in al
old copy of one of the local newspaper
there appeared this bulletin, over his sig
nature, one year after the departure 0
Judith;
"We hope all our kind customers as ar
upwards of one month in arrears will thinl
that it is now good time to discharge th
same as the weather continues to be yer.
severe and the grocer is but lily provides
to stand the brunt of a long winter If b
, have many scores. New York Sun.