The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-12-01
AWFULW WORK OF BURGLARS.
They Tie Man to Chair and Set
the House Afre.
THE VICTIM WAS ROBBED
And Then It Seems That an Attempt was
Made to Burn Him Up--He Thinks
the Murderous Situation May
Have Been an Accident
--Didn't Release Him.

--Oiun1U helehse HIM.
A desperate crime, the equal of which
has never been enacted in this city, oc-
CURED at an early hour this, Wednes-
day, morning at a residence in the north
east end. The police have not been
able to locate the parties who commit
ted the crime, and they have only the
vague description of the fellows as
given to them by the victim. The af-
fair, as related by d. N. Bower, who
was the party subjected to unwonted
cruelty by the burglars, and as CLEANED
by the police and News-Democrat re-
porter, occurred about as follows:
At 1:25 o'clock Wednesday morning
a telephone call was received at the
central engine house requesting the fire
department to go at once to the resi-
dence of d. N. Bowers, at 924 Connot-
ton alley. The apparatus at once left
for the scene, and just as they reached
the corner of Cherry and Tuscaravss
street an alarm was heard sounded
from box 25 at the corner of Mahoning
street and Pennsylvania avenue and at
the same time another number was
sounded, creating a mixed alarm.
However, the firemen proceeded on their
way to the Bower residence, directed by
a bright light which they saw reflected
in the northeast sky. When they ar
rived there they discovered the house
partially in ruins, the roof having al
ready fallen in and the side walls al
most totally destroyed. No. 4 hose COM
pany with the apparatus also responded
and after considerable work they sue
ceeded in placing the fire under control
and extinguishing it.
At about 1:40 o'clock a telephone call
was received at the police station ask
ing the assistance Of two officers to as
sist in arresting some burglars who had
entered the Bowers residence at Con-
notion alley. Officers Piero and Nc
Cloud responded and the story of
crime perpetrated and which led to the
fire, related to them by Bower, was a
remarkable one. 1t appears that Bow
er's was seated in a rocking chair Sleep
ing, about midnight when he was sud-
denly awakened by two fellows who
stood in front of him and at his side
with two revolvers thrust into his face,
and demanded of him to keep quiet.
lest they shoot him. The men were de-
scribed as being one about 6 feet tall
and the other one about feet inches
in height. He asked them what they
wanted and they replied that they had
come after his money He stated that
he hadn't any to give. The fellows
in
moved therefrom a pocketbook, which
they opened and extracted, as he al
leges, three IS bills, one so bill and some
change. After securing the money they
secured rope and proceeded to tie him
to the chair as tight as they could, gag
ged his mouth with handkerchief
after filling it with a bunch of cotton
taken from the bed quilt, and taking
the lamp they went up stairs. Bower
does not know whether all of the fell
lows went up but states that just about
that time w. & l.. E. train was pass
ing, and he also did not hear them de-
scend and go away, which they appa-
rently must have done while the train
was passing. At the same time that
revolvers were held to his head he dis
cerned in the darkness of the outer
kitchen third man, who evidently was
there to guard against intrusion on the
part of any one who night have dis
covered them in the act of burglary.
MURDER INTENDED.
Being bound and gaggei, the next
thing which Bower knew was that the
house was on fire, and he
smelled smoke as he lay on the chair
apparently unable to move himself.
Just how to get away and out of that
predicament flashed through his mind,
and he resorted to little scheme which
helped him wonderfully. He realized
that by rocking his chair forward and
backward he might be able to throw
himself forward and in that manner
land upon his feet, even though he
would have to carry the chair with
him. He began rocking, and soon re-
gained his feet and walking with very
short steps and slowly he approached
the front door which was fastened only
with a latch. He succeeded In pushinP
this door open, and with more effort he
reached the front door.
The w. & T.. e. shifter had accom-
panied the freight train north some dis
tance to give it a start" up the grade,
and Bower heard the engine rolling
back the line and nearing the crossing
OF the street upon which he lives. The
house was being consumed and the
flames shot up into the air and as the
shifting crew approached the city they
noticed the fire, and when they reached
Connotton alley, the engine was stopped