The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-03
A NIGHT OF TERROR.
Barslars Went From House to House
in Senth Portland.
PEOPLE AROUSED FROM SLEEP
TO FACE REYOLVERS.

Stories Told by Mrs. Frye, Mrs. Ellis, Mrs
Peters and Constable Fowler-There
Wore Three Men in the Gang, Two OF
reer. They Captured Young Woman
ON the Street-In All They Entered
Three Houses and a Store.
About as desperate and despicable a
gang of desperadoes as have visited this
vicinity for many day made their ap
pearance in South Portland Thursday
night. During that day they were al
Peaks island until warned off by the
police officers, and in fact one of the gang
was arrested for vagrancy and begging
while on the island and arraigned before
Judge Robinson yesterday morning.
The toughs who operated in South Port
land took the 10. 30 O'Clock ferryboat and
arriving in the village first dropped in.
to the bowling alley near the ferry slip.
There were at this time in.the party three
men. one was of medium height with
only one arm, the others somewhat short
or and of rugged build and all were de-
scribed as having "bad eyes, They
made themselves perfectly at home in the
alley and acted as if they were drunk.
They rolled the balls for a few minutes
and without paying their bill asked be-
fore leaving if the proprietor of Nat Cor.
don's store was about They were in
formed that he was.
The gang is next heard Of at the resi-
dence of Mrs. Frye, corner OF Stanford
and Front streets who yesterday told her
story: about quarter past eleven" said
Mrs. Frye, IT had just got to bed when
my little baby disturbed me and turning
over to attend to her I saw man stand
ing over me and looking right into my
face with his hand ready to put over my
mouth. screamed and said: Get out,
what do you want?' I also screamed.
mr.. Knowles, do. come down. 1t so hap
pened that Mr.. Knowles who lives just
above was away for the night, but my
shrieks aroused Mrs. Weeks, who slept
in the attic of the house. Mrs. Weeks
hearing my calls ran down stairs and
found me, as she says, in fa1nting con-
dition.
"My mother, lady II years old, occu :
pied the room next to mine and saw two
men in the house. One passed through
her room to mine and the other stood over
her bed with his hand on the pillow. She
said to the man, What in heaven do you
want. There was light in my sleeping
room at the time and one man took q
lamp from the kitchen and taking the
chimney off started to light 1t. Hearing
the steps of some one in the upper part of
the house, probably the coming OF Mrs.
Weeks, the men left the house by jumping
through the window taking the screen
along with them. I have missed no
property but the men upset tables and
knocked over my flower stand while
providing around in the dark"
Leaving Mrs. Frye's house the gang are
next heard OF at Mrs. Ellis's, IA Pickett
street.
heard voice in my husbands room
and some one say Watches, ivory or
money we want l was sleeping in the
adjoining room with a lady friend of
mine and beard my husband reply 'We
have no money. Keep still, don't move
or will blow your brains out, next
came from the bu rglar. My little girl
who was sleeping in the bed with me
stirred little and the man cried out
Keep that id kid STILL
"Just then aroused the lady who was
sleering with me and ash turned around
I saw a second man standing in the hall,
who was lighting q match and looking in
my direction. He came over and stood
by my bed and threatened to blow my
brains out If I moved. He leaned over, put
insulting language. could smell the
fumes of liquor winch came from his
breath. Just then the man who was in
my husbands room called out Who is
there?' The answer went it is only a
woman with baby, we will let her
Alone 1 then begged the men to let my
husband alone as he had no money In the
house. All the time one Of the men was
going through my husbands pockets,
ransacking drawers and loudly swearing
because he had no money and was trying
to make him say where it was. When
they got ready to go one said: Keep
quiet and let us out and we will let you
off easy.' Hall way down stairs they
stopped and listened to see If we were
getting up. After they left we all got up
and going down stairs found the men had
lighted lamp before they departed and
discovered that they had entered the
house by breaking pane OF glass and
slipping their hand through. turning the
catch and then raising the window. We
watched the men, after they got outside
and saw girl join them. The men ap-
peared to be dragging her, against her
will. They stopped first in front OF Mrs.
Knowles's house who lives across the
street, but did not attempt to enter. They
uext went ON to Mr.. Jellison's piazza,
where a sort of parley was held and 1T ap-