Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-06-29
Telegraph Operator at Milton
Did the Work With
a Shot Gun.
MAN NOT SERIOUSLY HURT.
Had Secured Five watches From tho
store of Hale g. Teachout-- " as En-
ployed at the Pulp Mill-The Resi-
dence of Mr.Puff. at BenniDg-
ton Robbed.

Milton, VT, June 25.-'rhe slumbers Of
the upper part of the village were dis
turbed carly this morning Sy quite an ex-
citing episode. About quarter of two as
A. b. Sturges, night operator at the rail-
road station, was sitting on the platform a
young man came up the street and said
some one was trying to break into Hale 4
Teachout's store. They watched the ma
go to two different windows and he finally
disappeared through one of the back win
dows into the store. They were Joined by
another young man who was near the sta
ton. one stood on guard while another
went to arouse MIR. Teachout to bring his
key while Mr.. Sturges went for his shot
gun.
Mr. Teachout had just appeared on the
scene when the men broke out. Mr. Stur-
ges told him to halt and that he would
fire If he did not. He then fired one shot
in the air but he did not stop. Sturees
then called again to MIN TO halt but he
kept on running. Sturges fired low and
hit him in the legs but he did not stop He
told him again to halt or he would fire
again but the theft kept on running as
fast as he could go towards the road to
the creamery showing no signs of being
hit When the thief was about II rods
away Sturges fired again. low as before
but the shot scattering hit him in the legs
near the knee and in the back, when he
fell.
on being questioned the thief gave his
name as Elroy Keene. On searching him
five watches were found in his pockets
three gold and two silver and each watch
had a tag bearing Hale and Teachout'S
mark. He had also done UP in package
suit OF clothes "A pair OF shoes and hat
which he had left Just inside the window
The thief had been at work at the pup
mill for about Ave days and had given his
name down there as Charles Gleason. He
was in the store the night before and tried
on the suit OF clothes but said he would
not take it until pay day. He was taken
over to Sheriff Mears and Drs L. ]. and
q. T.. Dixon were called to attend his
wounds 1t is thought they are nothing
serious but he will be taken to the hos
pitai as soon as he can be moved.
Since Hale & Teachout's store was brok-
en- Into some years ago Mr.. Sturges has
been employed by Mr.. Teachout to watch
any suspicious characters whom he saw
around there nights and was acting in
that capacity when he shot Keere. At
o'clocl, this evening Keene was very COM
Portable
TRY TO SCARE A THIEF AT NORTH
FIELD.
| Mortified, June 2j-At 2 o'clock Sunday
morning, while going home, James Doheny
was held up by four men and sharply in
| terrogated as to his supposed participation
in a recent burglary in town. He denied
/ all completely in the matter and states
that he was challenged to defend him
self. A pistol was flouIishcd in his face
and he was called hard names but did
not fight, and escaped without injury.
The affair ha 5 created some local excite
mont Within few years there have been
several burglaries H. town and the failure
of the officers to capture the thief is a
possible reason for this action by the citi-
Zens.