The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-09
FIGHT WITH MASKED MEN.
THREE BURGLARS IN THE COUNTRY
HOUSE OF THE LATE IRA
HIS Son Howard Encounters Theun. and After
= Desperate struggle. Aided by HIS Youug
wire. ne Puts Them to Fiisht-Mr. sharer,,
Revolver and q Geld watch Their Only noo,y

. Desperate Struggle, Aided by His Youu9
wife. He Puts Them to Fiiuht-Mr. sh.rer,,
Revolver and q Gold watch Their Only noo,y
P~ouGnKEEPsIE. Nov. Sat $50 o'clock this
morning Howard Shafcr, son of the late Ira
Shafer, who lives with his wife, mother. md
sisters In the Shafer homestead. u beautiful
country place on the banks Of tho Hudson nj
oakes, opposite this city, was aroused by a noise
In the hall downstairs. He got out of bed and
went out to investigate. AS he left his room
and stepped into tho hall outside he noticed a
dim light below. He walked to the balustrade
ana looked over and was alarmed at the sight
OF a masked man with a dark lantern in his
manu. shooting the rays around tho apart
ments downstairs. He turned swiftly and
made his way noiselessly to his room to get his
revolver. which was In a bureau drawer. As
he stepped inside he was seized by another
masked man. whose presence he had not noticed.
In u flash tho two were locked IN q desperate
struggle. Shafer threw the burglar Off and
seized his pistol, but was unable to use It before
he was attacked again and another struggle en-
sued.
The noise OF the encounter aroused the house
hold. Mrs. Howard Shafer jumped out of bed
anu came TO her husbands assistance and
bravery aided him in his battle. The masked
man. was soon Joined by two others, all wear
ing nhrikerchlcls over the lower part OF their
faces, leaving the eyes visible. The two aided
the third man to break away, from, Mr.. Shafer,
and the three ran away, taking Mr.. Skaters
revolver with them. After leaving the house
)ne OF the trio turned around and fired two shots
at the house. One OF the bullets lodged in the
front door. The burglar who struggled with
Mr.; Shafer had u bad wound in the head, from
which the blood flowed profusely. 1t fell in
iarRe splashes on the floor, and MIR. Skaters
night. garments were strcakcd with IL. The
only booty the burglars got was Il gold watch.
Miss May Shatcr had In her room diamond
| rings unl earrings valued nj spvpral thnpaapd
dollars. but when she heard the noise made by
her brothers battle with the intruders she put
them in her mouth for safe keeping.
Mr.. and Mrs. Howard Shafer have been mar
overcome, by the excitement Of her tight with
the burglars, and is seriously i'll to-day. The
whole neighborliood is ringing with the story
of her bravery, and many anxious inquiries
were made all day to learn IL she had rallied
from the shock. Mrs. Ira Shafer. widow Of
floor. which was rummaged by tho masked men
before Mr.. Howard Shafer was aroused. She
was not harmed, but the burglars slammed tho
door in her face and locked her in.
Whcn the news Of the robbery spread an
immediate pursuit of the thieves was. organ
lied. Later it was learned that they had en-
tered the harness store OF Matthew Harcourt, in
Highland Village, which is near Cakes. and
had taken stock and money valued at $3.50. A
horse and rig, supposed to have been used by
the men, was captured. 1t Is believed that
they crossed the river in IA rOwboat to this city.
The houses Of the Rev. Samuel Weikert,
rector OF Christ's Church, and of Mr.. Silas Wo-
dell in this city were entered by burglars last
night and looted. Mr.. Wodell is ut his winter
residence in New York, and the amount OF
property stolen from his house is not known.
Tho Rev. Mr.. WcIkert lost a gold watch and his
wife some valuable jcwolry.