The morning times., 1897-02-03
THE BURGLARS THREATS
Particulars of the Daring Crime
at Brunswick.
ONE OF THE B0LDEST KNOWN
Toll Collector willard Was Told
That He Would BE Burned if He
Did Not Show Where His Money
Was Coneealed-His Wife's Con-
diTion Is Critical.

detailed account Of the recent daring
burglary at the bridge dollhouse, at Eruns-
wick, Va, fifty-five miles fiom this city,
onthe Metropolitan branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad.
This oh was one OF the bGldest ever
committed in this section Of the country,
and was the work Of housefrcakers Of the
most desperate character.
Brunswick, Va, consists of but one
house. a tall, ancient structure, at the en-
trance of the bridge, which crosses the
Potomac 20 the thriving little village Of
Brunswick, Nd. This bridge is 475 yards
in length. Tho solitary house on the Vir-
ginia - ore is occupied by Ton-Collector
willard and his life 1t is sitUated at the
foot OF the mountains, in wild, desolate
10 cality. Nr. Willard is sturdy mountain
eer, about forty-five years of age, and usu-
ally has large sum OF money IA ms house
The ton rates for crossing the half
bridge which CUBnectsYirel a ld dMaryland
at that o!nt are rather high, the fare
for a foot passenger being 10 cents, while
for q Jour horse wagon it is 70 cents.
Mr.. and Mrs. willard are also thrifty,
frugal o9Fle, and reputel to be web TO do
The three masked burglars who robbed
them several nights ago first broke open
q repair car on a railroad siding on the
Maryland side. From this car they took
d crowbaT and signal torch ana then
crossed the bridge TO the toll collector $
house The night was dark and dreary
one and there was no sign of life about
the dreary place IL was about midnight
when WIZARDS wife aroused him from
@ deep sleep. she had heard a Sus-
picious noise in one Of the lower rooms.
''GeJ up,' she whispered. Something
is wrong down stairs
willard quickly got out of bed and at
tired only in his night garments, opened
the bedroom door and stepped out upon
the landing leading to the stairs. As lie
did so a blazing torch was flashed in his
face. and a masked rubber confronted him,
holding the torch in one hand, while i'll
the other he heheld a big rev Diver
IeveIled at the tull-collector's head Pack
III the shadows Willard saw the two
pals of tie torch bearer. Each had
pistol. pointed directly at him, and car
ried clgbs in their other hands. Their
faces were covered with black masks,
concealng all but the eyes and nose.
What do you want" demanded VII
lard, while his wife shrank into a corner
OF their bed Chamber
Your money" replied the tallest Of
the burglars. a man over six feet, in gruff,
assumed voice.
Willard, Shivering with cold and fear,
replied that the bridge collections had been
taken away by the company last week,
and there was No money in the house.
.Here, no foolishneSs; tell us where the
TuoDev iS gT rnpra'U Fa roFrIla''
You came 10 get the money said the
toll collector, plucking up courage when
he found tire robbers did not shoot him at
once, now find il"
If you don't tell Us quickly where the
money is" said the tall man, savageIy,
'weTl tie you up and burn your-feet
oft
The fellow nourished blazing torch
about Wizards bare feet. painfully scorch-
ing them Mrs. Willard appeared at this
juncture. and seeing the burglars were
desperate and would carry out their
threat. she advised her husband to tell
them where the funds of the company were
concealed, to avoid being brutany tor
tured.
Willard, thcreUTon, guided the trio Of
crooks to a refrigerator, under which
Il
He informed them this was all he had,
but they oompelled him to produce a cigar
Lox, in which was $50 more.
The desperaGoes then tore a stout sheet
into strips, and while two ofthem covered
the man and woman with their revolvers,
the third securely lound them. Mr.. VIII
lard's hands were tied behind him, his legs
fastened together, and then lie was lashed
TO ted post. They tried TO tie the wife'S
hands behind her back, but her limbs were
badly swollen from rheumatism, and after
almost breaking her arms trying to get
them behind the woman and causing her
to writhe with pain, the brutal fellows
tied them in front Of her, and lashed her
TO the bed. The bridge collector and his
wife We're rot gagged, because had they
screamed their cries would not have been
heard on tic Maryland side, and there were
TO houses ahOutthcir lonely residence The
men then raESaCked the house, and in adj
ditiou To tie S3S they had already secured,
found S15 in a satchel and other sums,
aegrcEating $3.50: also Mrs. Wizards
gold watch. Ofthis amount S240 wastheir
personal property, While bat $40 belonged
TO the bridge company. Had the bur
glars came a few nights ,ounerthey would
have secured 4 much larger sum, repre-
sentIng several weeks toll money
As the robbers were about to leave the
house. the half-frozen and helpless VIII
lard reminded them that it was a bitter
cold night, and his wife was an invalid
from Chr oniC rheumatism He begged
them TO throw some bed coverings over
them, which was done in a hasty and
careless manner. After their departure
Mrs willard, by struggling and strain
ing. managed to get her face IN close
proximity TO the thongs which bound
her husband Then by working for fully
@ half hour size united the knots at his
wrists with her teeth, and he released her.
he placed her sick and exhausted in bed
and ran across the bridge TO alarm the
Villagers, but too late, for the burglars
had disappeared in the night They had
used the stolen railroad crowbar to force
sn entry into the house.
Mrs willard is now reported to be in
@ critical condition as a result of her
ter ibIe experience with the masked
burglars and Maryland and Virginia de-
tectives are securing the country, look
ing for them. Inspector Hollinberger's
men aud the patrolmen here are also on
the lookout for them.