The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-21

Special to the Scranton Tribune.
Pittston, April 2O.--At an early hour
this morning four masked men, -four
fishing revolvers and blazing torches,
entered the house of Michael Brown, at
Smithvillc, assaulted him, tied him
and robbed the place.
Mr.. Smith keeps a saloon on the
main road at Smithville, between the
Delaware and Hudson and Lehigh VAL
ley tracks. He has no family, and
lives alone, sleeping in room on the
second floor of the building. About !
aclock this morning he was awakened
by racket downstairs, like the fore
ing of a door Arising and hastily
dressing, he grabbed a shotgun, in his
room, and started to investigate the
disturbance. Upon reaching the head
of the stair, he was surprised to find
the stairway ablaze with light. At
the foot of the stairs, just about to as
cend, were four men, with handker-
chiefs over their faces for masks.
Each carried blazing torch in one
hand and a revolver in the other. In
his half-awakened condition the sight
almost staggered him. DaZed by the
flaming torches he failed to instantly
use the shotgun in his hands, and the
intruders, in a noisy manner quickly
mounted the stairs, and covering their
victim with revolvers, had him COM
pletely at their mercy.
Two of the gang stood guard over
Brown, while the other two, carrying
lit torches, ransacked the house The
men who remained with Brown asked
for mis- money and he told them all he
had was $5 which was in the pockets
of his trousers. The men disbelieved
him, however, and in hopes of getting
more money, they beat him with hard
pieces of rubber hose about two feet
long. evidently cut from the air brakes
OF railroad cars. He was also struck
on the head with the butt of a revol-
ver receiving painful cut, which bled
profusely.
When the highwaymen were ready tc
depart they lied Browns hands and
feet with twine found in a closet, and
wire, taken from the pictures on the
walls. The men then departed, taking
with them So in cash, a gold watch, 8
new pair of trousers, and shot gun.
After the invaders had disappeared
Brown succeeded in untying the bind
ing about his feet and made his way
to neighbor's house, where his hands
We're quickly cut loose.
Who the robbers We're there is no
the slightest idea They spoke gooC
English and evidently took care in Sc
lecting their victim. The torches use(
were made by tying oily pieces o
waste and rags to the end of sticks
That the building did not take fire Il
.urprsing. This morning the charret
remnants of the torches were found or
the bedroom floor and the stairs show
ed several places where the blazing
torches came in contact with them.
ANOTHER ROBBERY.
This morning about 10 o'clock, while
walking along a roadway through ;
woods, leading from InkermGn TO tn
Wilkes Barre Traction line, Michae
Iynott, travelling salesman in tn
employ Of NJ. A. Kelley, the Scranton
cracker dealer. was seized from benin,
by three men. They searched his cloth
ing and found but S. in cash and sew
eral checks. They kept the cash. bu
replaced the checks.
Lyrctt pleaded the poverty act, say
ing he came all the way from Sc?an
ton and had no money with which t
get 5ba ck, whcrcupon the men returnet
him $3.50 and allowed him to depart.